Broken Fairytale
by PeacemakingUnderdog
Summary: I jog after her. How dare she turn her back on me? I swallowed all my pride for this. "Roronoa, some things are better forgotten. You shouldn't fish for anymore answers, what you don't know will surely disgust you." Sequel of 'Broken Vow.'
1. That empty feeling

**Author note; **Hello again. So, this is the re-make version of '_My silver ring'. _Of course I made a re-make because the first version sucked so much, I re-read it again and I hated it. I tried to work on Zoro's character but I failed. I'll try not to make the same mistake again. I'll try, okay. I tried to make this one different than the first one but there are some things that are quite the same. Oh, and by the way, this is the sequel of _'Broken Vow'._

Aye, 'nuff talk. Please tell me what you think. Bye and thanks!

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****Ch.1; "That empty feeling"**

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***Six months ago.***

"Come on! Come on, let's go!!" Franky yelled while ducking and running towards the energy room of the Sunny.

***BOOM!***

I crouched down once more together with some of the others, grinding my teeth so hard. The ship rocked. Salt water spilled on the gassy deck and wooden shards of Sunny's broken rail rained down on us. Usopp cursed beside me. I turned around towards the running infiltrating marines running across the wooden plank that connected the ship to the dock. The others pushed them back before many of them reaches the deck. Luffy's hand stretched and swiped the marines of their feet. Some screamed others were wise enough to jump off instead.

Usopp started firing one of his explosive balls while I saw Chopper jumped down and transformed into a high flying deer. The marine's number started to decline but they just kept on coming non stop. Everything was in total chaos and the rain made it worse. A mist, not too thick, was smothering the view making everything so confusing to see. The marines dropped another plank into the deck and most of them started firing guns at us. I ran towards them extending my swords by my side like wings then I crossed them across my chest and when I was a couple of meters from them, I slashed at them with my _Oni-giri _technique.

I sent them off gliding into the air, falling either on the ground or into the dark waters. The waves were huge crashing into each corners of the ship and into the dock rocking the ship even stronger almost knocking me off balance. I had a splitting head-ache. I dropped on one knee stabbing _Sandai Kitetsu _into the grass. I looked up while wiping blood off my eyebrows but when I did, a pink haze flew towards my face. Quickly, I tumbled backwards but my reflexes were bad. It was a rough strong kick and it hit me so hard on the face.

My head flew backwards followed by my body and my back bounced on the grass and finally came to a stop when I hit the stair case. I growled and tasted blood at the back of my throat. Groaning again, I pushed myself up heavily from the stabbing steps. Again with the pink haze and it hit me in the stomach forcing me to vomit off all the blood that was clogging the tube of my throat. I gagged, splinters digging tiny holes on my back and that's when I realized the impact was so strong it made a whole on the stairs with me buried in it.

I opened my painful eyes yet raindrops fell in them which made me close them back again. Even for just a millisecond, I saw someone was standing on top of me, one painful foot on my chest. I tightly shut my eyes and opened them trying to focus while arching my back forwards grabbing on a thin ankle. I looked up once again and there I saw a tall lean woman wearing everything in pink. Even her long undulating hair that reached down her ass was pink. Lightning, and it made her features turn into a looming silhouette.

"Roronoa.. Zoro." Her voice was deep and cold.

I squeezed her ankle, she grimaced then stepped her pointy heel on my chest harder then kicked my face with her other leg. She almost knocked me off conscious when my head snapped to the side so much I thought I was going to loose my head. My eyesight went blurry and my eyes rolled back behind my eyelids yet I forced it to open.

"Gomu Gomu no pistol!!"

Luffy yelled, the woman turned her head and jumped off me. Both flew into the air and crashed but the woman slid her arm past Luffy's and when his body clashed with her stretched arm, a black metal coiled around my captain's body imprisoning both his arms. He fell into the ground and started squirming. I knew I had to do something.

I got up, painfully. "Oh no! Smokey!" Chopper panicked. I looked at him and turned my head to where he was pointing. It was true, Smoker really was coming towards us, not running but flying. We need to do something, _I_ need to do something. But with the white monster's ability, my chance of winning was slim.

"Hang on!!" Franky yelled.

And with that, we all knew what to do and what was happening. I wrapped my arm around a rail and so did the others. The pink woman frowned and looked at Franky, she glared and strode to him. Smokey was close, so close until the giant cannon at the bottom of Sunny lit up into a yellow and orange glow until it burst. The pink woman cursed as she stumbled and when Sunny took off, she yelled when she started falling off into the water, arms reached out. And just like that, we knew we were all saved. Cola sprayed into the shooting and cursing marines by the dock.

"Mugiwara!!"

In my horror, Smoker was very persistent still flying towards the ship but wasn't long until the canon of Sunny probably almost burning him. Smoker retreated back yelling something I could not hear, his smoke thinning until we could barely see him. We were flying into the growling sky, away from the commotion, from the hardship and we survived.. once again. I saw the island, shrinking as if the ocean was squeezing it.

The Sunny went through the thick gray clouds and glided up over it and into where the sun was shining without any interruption. Everyone sighed in relief while others cheered. I dropped on the grass together with Brook. The pain in my stomach and face were excruciating. I held my breath while reaching behind my back to pluck off all the splinters.

"We made it once again!" Nami chuckled lowering her staff. My knees started to shake when I straightened up myself. All was better now, the sun's warmth radiating over our mildly broken ship. "Dah! Help me out here!" Luffy cried. He was still on the ground with the black metal around him. He kept squirming until he decided to bite on it. Chopper and Usopp came to his rescue pulling off the metal then Robin's arms spurt from the ground and helped as well.

I closed my eyes and flexed my muscles and by the time I turned my head, the heel of Sanji's boot connected with my face. Once again I rolled on the ground and stopped myself. I hissed at the additional pain. I lifted myself up with my elbows and sat on my butt while wiping off blood from my nose and mouth.

"Sanji-kun!!" Nami cried running towards him.

I looked at the dominating cook's blurry image lazily. My head continued spinning but I forced myself to focus and get up. Dartboard helped by grabbing the front of my shirt up and I heard the fabrics start to split.

"What the- what the fuck, do you think you were doing, ha?!" He screamed spraying saliva droplet on the surface of my face. I grimaced, I knew I looked shit-faced. I pushed him off weakly and kept focusing my eyesight. "The hell are you talkin' 'bout?" I asked groggily. My knees kept shaking and a part of me was unsure whether because of the cold which was still inside of me or because I was nervous.

Sanji stepped forward shoving past Nami and pushed my chest back again. I went a couple of steps back stepping on some shards. My arms were like dead, lolling by my side. "Fuck," He whimpered. "If it wasn't for you, we would've had left the island earlier and unscathed!" He pointed a thin accusing finger at me. "But no! You fuckin' acted like a dumb brat and ran away from me and Luffy!"

He lost it again striding towards me and with just a couple of long steps, he crossed the distance that separated us. He tried to lay a kick on me again but Brook grabbed him from the back and Nami ran in front of him. Sanji squirmed, trying to break loose, eyes burning a whole in my skull. Nami started pounding on his chest yelling for him to stop. "Stop! Stop it!" She cried looking up at him.

He stopped, pushing Brook away and Sanji turned around, rubbing his face. Now, it was time for the crew to turn to me. They all stared wide eyed, full of wonder. Waiting. They waited for my reply. But what reply? What should I say? More importantly, what was he talking about? I shifted my eyes to Luffy who was now sitting and staring at me with no expression in his face.. also waiting.

What came out was a nervous whimper, "W-what?" I scanned their faces once again. All their expressions were questioning. It was probably a dumb question. I frowned, my facial muscles hurt. I watched little Chopper's visible joy of seeing me evaporate and looked worried.

"If.. if it wasn't for you, Zoro, we wouldn't have been spotted and Nami's plan would've had work." Luffy started. He was looking on the grass, dark shadows loomed under his eyes. I was even more confused. "I don't.. what? I don't," I shook my head. "know what yer all talkin' about.." I croaked.

Sanji turned to me again, leaving his hand, he kept frowning. His expression had changed and he too was confused. I was confused, they were confused, everyone in the ship was confused! It was as if we were asking each other questions in different languages.

"What're you-" Sanji stepped forward and I stood my ground. "You don't-.. don't give us that bullshit asshole! We're all sick of it!" At first, his voice was not questioning there was no threat in it and if I were to think, I would've thought he believed me.

"Where were you Zoro?" Came Usopp, I looked at him then switched my gaze to Nami. "Yeah we searched everywhere in the island for days but.." She swallowed. "we couldn't find you."

I blinked hard and long trying to keep my focus. But even though my eyes were alright, my mind was not. For some crazy reason, I couldn't think at all, like I just came from a deep sleep. I touched my head but touched my blooming bruise instead so I flinched and hissed.

Luffy stood up, still imprisoned. "Hey, Zoro. What's wrong?" He asked lowering his head to catch my gaze. "Everything.." I answered looking at his deep dark brown eyes. "I don't.. remember everything."

As usual they were looking at me, this time surprised. What? Is that what they want from me? That's all I got. They want me to apologize? For what? "What do you mean you don't know everything?" Nami squinted stepping forward. I kept quiet. Whatever, I'm still going to be waffling the same shit again so what's the point?

"You guys, hold on." Franky called. "Sunny's landing."

Our ship started to face down and we all held on to something and then we crashed into the ocean. Salt water exploded from each sides. There were grunts and heavy sighs and I was thankful because when we landed, everyone started to move and life came back to them. They were talking now, Usopp and Franky complaining about the broken parts of Sunny.

The sky turned into a mixed shades of pink, orange and yellow and from the never ending horizon, the sun came sinking down into the clear waters. It was sunset, afternoon and the chaotic, unclear, shitty day will finally come to an end, and I am glad. I kept wiping off blood. From my side, I heard Nami saying she needed a long bath. Others like Franky, Robin and Brook scrambled while the rest glanced at me one last time.

Usopp shrugged. "Well, let's just call it another abnormal day." Then he started picking out broken woods from the ground. Luffy stayed by my side. "It's alright, Zoro." He tapped my arm and walked off. "We all survived."

My head weakly lifted and I didn't noticed Dartboard was still staring at me. His lips separated and was trying to say something but he started walking into the kitchen shaking his head. I turned on my heels and if my eyes did not detect Chopper, I would've step on him. He just stared at me. "So what? Are you gonna call me an idiot too?" I asked. The reindeer just stood wide eyed and mouth forming an up-side-down V shape.

"_Amnesia_." He muttered

"What?" I asked. "Did you hit your head?" He asked and I nodded. Chopper looked down rubbing his nose. He started mumbling like he always does when forming a theory. He looked up. "You should take it easy, Zoro. Go get some sleep or something, then they will all come back to you." My body shook in defeat, I was so tired. My head was pounding, the same pain I felt when I had cried so much. Had I cried so much? I went to the toilet which was associated under the unbroken stairwell. I came to wash my face in the sink and flinched at the feeling of the bruise. I saw my face reflected in the mirror. Shit, you look like shit, Zoro. I cupped water and poured it to my face and the water stung. Blood mixed with water and dirt which flushed into the sink hole, pulps included. I hissed at the stinging pain and clenched the marble corners of the sink.

I examined my face once again, aside from the swell and cuts, the corners of my eyes were red, like I was crying. How long has it been, since I cried? I would cry, yes, but with nobody around. I hate crying, for me it's a sign of weakness, showing too much emotion is a sign of weakness and it's everything I despise. I cupped water once more and brushed it against my hair. And that's when I saw it sparkle. A silver ring. It coiled around the fourth finger of my left hand. It was the right size. I was confused again so I took it off. How the hell-? What- who's ring is this? And why do I have it? I stared at it and soon noticed my clothes.

This aren't mine! I don't remember owning any of these. This is ridiculous! I'm owning stuff I didn't before. The clothes I could handle but not the ring. This is annoying me so. I crushed the ring in my palm.

Darkness blanketed the whole world and the lamps of Thousand Sunny lit. I went in our bedroom and lay on my hammock bunk bed and it swayed from right to left at my presence. I was alone, the others outside. I took out the ring again and studied it between my fore finger and my thumb. I closed my eyes and lay my hand with the ring on my chest. I started to reflect. In the island, I remember having a head ache, I was in a village and there was a boy, the falling rain and flashing lightning above me. Then Marines with their swords and guns and then there was chaos everywhere.

I gave them something to work their weak arms and legs for but as usual, they were below my level so I beat them without even trying. Then there _she _was, standing straight looking at me. Behind her was the darkness of the coniferous and deciduous forest. She looked thin and small.. weak. She was drenched and she just stared at me.. with red crying eyes.

I came back in our bedroom, opening my eyes, looking up at the ceiling. I frowned. Why was she crying? Why did she not fight me like she always did? More over, why did she asked for my back and cried against it? "Argh!" I grunted. I didn't want to think about it anymore, I should get some sleep. I buried the ring under my pillow and once I rolled on my side, my hand suddenly flung to the empty side of the bed, like I was reaching out for something.. or someone. I opened my eyes, confused as usual. Lazily, I lifted my head off the pillow and my hand went up and down the covers of the bed. I was reaching out but I don't know what and why. Then I had the strangest feeling that someone was suppose to be here lying beside me. I lay on my back and looked at the ceiling, I turned my head and was so shock to see a figure lying beside me! I was so surprised I moved back until I fell into the hard floor.

"Ah.. shyeet." I moaned when the pain deliciously spread through my back. I pulled myself up and peaked at my bed. There was no one there, no one that had its back on me. I frowned and went up to my bed, this time filling up all the spaces. What the hell was that? I kept looking at my side. Was I hallucinating? Then again I turned to my side, I stopped my arm from flinging forwards. I clamped my arms tightly around my second pillow and it felt... good. I liked it. I was... contented.

***Six months later***

The sun shone down hard, the gulls squawked outside the window pane and stood over the ship's sail while Luffy and the others' laughter came echoing at the corners of the ship. Just your typical normal day in the Thousand Sunny.. at least, that's what they think. They think everything is alight because everyone had a healthy body and a laughing face but I don't. I was in my usual spot in the built in gym that Franky had probably only made for me. I've counted 5000 weight lifting, 10,000 push ups and 15,000 skipping. Seemed alright with me. My body was so sweaty and I was so hot.

I started wiping myself with a towel. Next stop was meditation. I squat on the wooden floor, placing my hands between my thighs, then I closed my eyes after breathing in and out. The same visions came back, the boy, the village, the rain, the screaming marines.. and that marine woman's crying face. Shit.

Nothing changed. I opened my eyes and sighed heavily. It's already been... what? Five to six months? Can't I at least get a break from all those? I have not meditated for days and I've been more and more irritated of this bullshit! What's more, that was the _only _memory I acquired after leaving the island. It just keeps flashing in my mind every time I close my eyes. I sighed again and fished the ring out of my pocket and just like every single minute of the day, I studied it hoping it would somehow bless me with a little bit of memory. It looked to me like a wedding ring.

Wedding. Marriage. Two words. 'No way'.

I cannot at all visualize myself getting married. It's impossible, there's no way. I have never thought of getting married at all because my main focus is only about making more effective attacks to defeat stronger enemies and to defeat Mihawk. Being a married man is too much responsibility and I'm not ready to raise a family, have a wife and kids... not yet. Although, I will have to one day if I want to make the 'Roronoa' name spread. I haven't picked out the right woman yet. As for now, train and train. Marriage will have to wait. Now, to my theories. The only thing I got from the island, were my clothes and the ring.

It annoys me to think about the other stuff, especially about… yeah, _her_. I don't like it. When I reflect, I always pretend and force myself that she wasn't there, that she wasn't part of the picture. Yet she had the strongest imagery. I hated the fact that she was included. I sighed, stood up and walked over to the opened window. Warm and cool air greeted me and it felt so good. I felt so relaxed, I lifted the ring over my face so it levelled with my eyes. I always wonder about what had happened to me back in that island, about what Luffy and Sanji meant. How did I live and survived? Did someone took care of me? A family? An old couple? A man? A… _woman_? Ho shit. What if-.. No, no way! What if that.. woman took care of me? I hated the idea but… it could be... No, it's wrong. There's no way. She has no reason to take me in. Fuck that! There is no fucking way she'd take care of me let alone let me live. And yet, she showed kindness and set me free…

Whatever, we'll never see each other again. I enjoyed the summer breeze but another of my daily strange feelings occurred again. I could feel it, thin, warm and fragile arms coiling around my torso from the back. I could visualize it. It was slightly pale and there were scars, battle scars spread on the surface. These were creepy yet I grew used to them. In fact, I wanted them to continue hoping that it may awaken my lost memories. I kept looking at my empty torso and ran my fingers on it wiping off sweat. They flash but disappear too soon. I sat on the sofa leaning by the wall and inserted the ring back in my pocket.

I have tried to shake off all of these because maybe I'm over reacting but I feel empty. Without those memories I feel defenceless because I want to know every single thing that had happened to me, to make me aware. I tried to get busy to shove them all yet I was not strong enough at all. They seem to be just like one of those unforgettable things, things that were meant to be remembered. Like mysteries that needs solving and if I don't, I'll die like a vengeful ghost, always searching for all eternity.

"Ei, yo bro!" I jumped up from my seat and my heart leapt. Franky spoke by the intercom, static humming with him. "Time fer lunch! Get yer muscular bowtey in the dinning room. Let's go!" Then he was gone.

I wasn't hungry but I went down into the dinning room anyway. I went in and food was scattered on the long table, everyone except for cook was eating. Typical day. I sat beside Luffy and watched him eat. It was disgusting! I felt like throwing up! He grabbed every food and shove them all in his mouth without even chewing much on them. How the hell did I ended up as this motherfu-

"Zoro, eat." Nami interrupted. "You're acting like a zombie again." I looked at her then to her tattooed shoulder then down to the connecting creamy arm on the table. Her arm was so sleek, so perfect. No, not the arm I visualized. So I looked back at Luffy. "Oi, marimo!" Bitch-ass cook yelled. Whatever, I've no strength to bitch talk him. Chopper lay a hoof on my right arm and I hummed and looked at him. "You gonna eat that?" Luffy pointed at the roast turkey in front of me, I shook my head then he grabbed it and shove it in his mouth. I grimaced and looked at cook. "Can I get a beer?" **"Eat, Zoro, or I'll walk up and down your ass!!"** Then Chopper turned into his human reindeer/ monster form and over powered me. I put up my hand and nodded. "Okay, okay! I will!"

"Hey look, Luff!" Nami squealed as she turned the magazine she's reading around to Luffy. There was an image of floating islands and at the sides were square pictures of luxurious buildings, swimming pools, what have you. "It's 360 miles from the west to where we are right now!" Nami chuckled. "Can we go?!" She pouted and fluttered her eye lashes. "Pweese?" Luffy paused from eating then stared frowning at the picture, mouth over flowing with different types of food. He looked at the picture, then to Nami, then back again. He shrugged finally. "Yeah, whatever." Then he continued eating.

Nami cheered and hugged the magazine, she continued staring at the picture, Robin chuckling beside her. After lunch, everything was so boring, there was nothing to do although the others always found something of interest. There were no pirates, marines or any enemies and the ocean felt like extending forever. Maybe I'm too peevish and moany about a lot of things but they feel right at the moment. I couldn't believe how the day blended altogether, it's already getting darker and darker. I didn't even had any achievements for the day. When the world went completely dark, the others came out and started having fun. They probably thought I was becoming even rude because basically, I've cut off myself from the whole crew and sometimes, I feel like an outsider. I've never even did something crazy with them and me and cook were barely fighting. I only hope they'd understand. I don't want them to worry about me though, I'll always figure out things by myself. My 'amnesia' ruined my life.

Most of the time I would stare into space while leaning against a wall and Luffy would always try to surprise me and... it works. I don't even notice myself doing that. Brook and Chopper walked towards me and Brook sat beside me by the rail, Chopper on my lap. "Hey, Zorooo~!" Chopper grinned widely. "Are you okay?" He asked. I nodded and shook my head, "Can't sleep." "Ah yes, I felt the very same fate when I was first struck by love." Brook added, while rubbing his chin. I snapped and turned to him. "Be quiet! I'm not in love!"

If Chopper and I weren't fast enough, Brook would've had fell down into the ocean. "Aah! Brook!" Chopper screamed. We grabbed on his ankles then Brook yelled and Chopper sighed in relief. I pulled him back in and Brook fell on his knees. "Ah~! I'm so sorry, Zoro-san!" He said. "That was very insensitive of me. I did not know Zoro-san could be so sensitive!" Brook shook both his hands in front of me. "No, I'm sorry, Brook. I was the bigger idiot." I crossed my arms against my chest. Brook and Chopper sat beside me on the rail again. "What seems to be the problem, Zoro-san?" Brook asked once more.

Looking at him, I shook my head. "Nothing much really. It's just me." I shrugged. Brook turned his head then looked at me once again. "Let's go join Franky-san and Robin-san by the table. They seem to have fun." Chopper jumped off and grinned up at me. "Yeah! Yeah, let's go, have fun!" He yelled. "Ah, what the heck?"

We walked towards where Robin and Franky were drinking cola and coffee, Robin with her open book while Franky having another round of his colas. "I'll go get beers from the bar." Brook said. "I hope Sanji-san wouldn't mind." Then he walked off. As usual, I sat on the rail just behind Franky and when they both noticed Chopper and I, they both smiled. "Whuz' happenin', bro?" Franky grinned. "Still zombie like? Nyaha-haum!!" Two arms grew out from his cheek bones, clamping his mouth. I turned to Robin. "How are you, Zoro?" She asked. "Are you still unable to sleep?"

I nodded and frowned when I remembered what Chopper told me. "I thought my memories would come back to me?" I asked him. He shrugged. "Having your memories back after you had amnesia may take time." Robin said. "Don't worry too much, one of these days they will all come back." "But sometimes.." Chopper interrupted. "Sometimes you don't get them back." I frowned down at him, not accepting the answer. "What do you mean?" "It comes rarely but.. maybe in your case it's most likely."

Franky dropped his bottle on the table. "Why do you so much want to know about your lost memories, anyway? Put it on, fool!" He grinned and lifted up his arms. "This is gettin' in yer system! Look at me, I'm fly, I'm fresh and I ain't got no problems." He wiggled both his eyebrows. "Take my advice and you'll feel super after three da-aah!" He screamed and reached down to rub his thighs. The cyborg glared at the archaeologist who was smiling darkly at him. "Franky, let's be sensitive and understand Zoro's current situation, alright?" She then looked at me. I nodded as thanks and my eyes trailed down to her pale arms. And just like before, her arms were the same as Nami's. Uninterested I looked away. Why do they have such perfect arms? Brook came tumbling out from the kitchen with a case full of beer on his bony hands.

"I got lucky! Sanji-san was busy ogling over Nami-san's clothes!" Brook panted and dropped the case on the table. We all started drinking.

****

When everyone went to bed, I didn't. Instead, I volunteered to be the one on guard for the night staying up in the gym. Back in the men's room I've been sleep talking most of the nights and the others had been laughing at me and calling me names. And one time when I was lying beside Usopp (it was after we had a carousing) I 'accidentally' wrapped my arms around him. It freaked him out more than it freaked me. After that, I had enough. I didn't want anymore humiliation showering down on me so I'd say… for months now I haven't been sleeping in our room. Instead, I sleep on the sofa of the gym wishing my unknown habits would shrink down. Sometimes when I can't sleep, I train and when I do, Luffy's irritating voice would scream from the intercom calling me then he and mostly Usopp would end up laughing.

Four days later, I was surprised to see a grey cylinder emerging from the horizon that connected up to the heavens so I stopped my training, dropping down the giant weight to the floor. I frowned and walked to the window and started looking through the telescope. From afar I saw a tall metallic building heaving up ships one after the other. Slowly, I zoomed out the lens and witnessed the grey cylinder standing over an island full of docking ships. I straightened up and picked the microphone for the intercom. "Hey, something's popping out from the horizon. Check it out." I heard my hoarse voice echo around the ship from the speaker of the intercom. The crew came out from wherever they were and went into the front of the ship.

"Kya! That's it there!" Nami cried clapping her hands. "What is that?" Luffy asked. "That's the elevator to the floating islands!" She answered then murmurs came shortly after her reply. I looked at the grey cylinder again and looked through the telescope this time looking up to the sky. At first, there were only thick clouds hovering and soon after for about a couple of seconds, the sky cleared and there appeared majestic free floating islands. I gasped at its very apparition. It was different than the other sky island that we travel from, it didn't had clouds under it but just plain pointy earth, waterfall flowing down back into the ocean.

Zooming in the lens I spotted the other connecting island and they looked like spots from afar. I swallowed and straightened up. My heart was skipping a beat hoping that something about it may take my attention from everything else…

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**Coming up…**

"Agh, shoot!"

I was surprised to hear someone as annoyed as I was. I turned my head to where I heard a woman's voice until I froze. I stood there not moving not even breathing when I found… _her_.


	2. Was filled

**Author's note; **One Piece ain't mine, obviously and hmm, got nothing much to say but the odd names are made up, okay? And, next update will be on Tuesday. Probably every after five days. Holla!

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**Chapter 2; 'Was filled'**

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Before us stood a dominating gigantic gray building made from pure iron. It was a mechanic, an elevator for large ships like Sunny. The iron building reached up into the main floating brown island into the sky. I kept staring up to the islands and there I realized that there were thick roots swaying out from the earth. Soon, I started to wonder about how those great amounts of islands were able to float, it's amazing how this world works. The main island was so huge it shaded everything underneath. The loud noise of the elevator ricocheted in my head and the noise was like metal rubbing on metal, irritating yet it made you wonder about how human can make these objects a thousand times their size work. I shook my head and the Sunny moved forwards. Large ships were heaved up into the sky, a ship under another, standing on hard metal.

A small dark man with a base ball hat came and in his hands he had a pen ready to write on a notepad. "Good day.. " He paused and looked up. "Pirates, I presume?" Nami stepped forward and nodded. "Yeah, yeah. That's the Straw Hat pirates for you." "And I'm gonna be the pirate king!" Luffy yelled just before Nami shove her shoe down his throat. "We'd like to get a 'full time' ticket please." "Oh absolutely!" The man fluttered eyelashes. "That'd be 500 bellies." **"500 bellies are you shitting me?!" **The witch growled grabbing the short man's front shirt. Even though the man was supposed to look afraid, he did not. Instead he kept his eyes on her. "Why yes. Did you not read our article?" He cocked one eyebrow looking at Nami. "A ship this size is 500, a galleon is 1000 while a medium sized ship can cost only 250. Now, if you had a smaller ship you would've paid less." "Why you cocky—" Nami rasped until then she took a deep breath and dropped the man. She straightened up, sighed heavily then fished a 500 bill from her chest. "Here." She handed. "This island better be good, or I'll sue you." "Thank you." The little man took the money, wrote something on his notepad ripped it and gave it to Nami. "There you go. We hope you'll enjoy your stay. All information about the main island will be told by your guide when you reach the top."

He hopped off the ship and continued on another ship. The queue became shorter and the ship was parked on top of a plain heavy metal. Five men locked a thick metal rail by the side of the ship like a belt. They backed off and someone yelled from the top and soon, the ship slowly went up. "Whoaa!" Luffy and the other idiots yelled. As we ascended up, the ships below looked tinier and tinier and I felt odd, I felt lighter. I looked around and the ocean did stretched forever. More ships were coming from the horizon. The sky became clearer and the wind picked up. Other people below and over us were howling in excitement.

When we reached the top, the ship was brought in a lagoon and was soon parked in front of a dock. And when we were escorted down into the land, the sight was amazing, it was so different from where we have been before. There were modernized large buildings like casinos, sports plazas, malls, theme parks and everything a human could possibly ask for. There were monuments of different people too and suddenly, a bunch of giggling took my attention. I looked to my side and two women came to me. They had dark skin and black hair and around their neck were tropical flower necklaces which also coiled around their wrists. They wore only bra as their top and a straw skirt which reached down into their ankles. They bowed to me and lifted two flower necklaces over my head and made me wear those necklaces. They did the same to the others and cook had millions of flowers around his neck and he kept gesturing for the women to give him more.

I shook my head. There were a lot of people in the area mostly tourists taking pictures. There were large tropical huts and even futuristic theme buildings. It was like past colliding with the future. A short dark man came to us, he looked a lot like that man from before. "Hello, good day, sirs and madams!" He greeted and we looked down at him. "Welcome to the floating island of _Nai'k_!" Then he started handing brochures one by one. "I'm sure that you are all wondering how this is possible. As you can see, around us, there are also other floating islands, this is because the gravitational force of this part of the ocean is quite low and you may have felt yourself feeling light.." "Oh! Right! Yeah! So that's the reason why I'm feeling kinda' different!" Usopp gasped. The man nodded, still smiling. "By the way, my name is Onwulu and I shall be the person to help you if you are in peril. But not to worry, this is a danger-free zone. Here is a den-den to contact me." He said handing Nami the snail phone. "Now, who shall come and listen to the stories of the island?"

By that, I left, so did Luffy, Usopp and Chopper while Brook, Nami, Robin and bitch-ass cook went with him. Franky stayed with Sunny. So I left and went my own way, there's no point educating me all about the island, I'd forget the next five minutes anyway. And so begins my adventure in this another enigmatic island. I kept looking around in wonder, looking for something to take my attention, yet I was cautious. Even though the area seemed over populated, the little man was right. I didn't spot any potential enemy, still, I need to keep my guard up. While my head kept wondering, it shifted into the very corners of the island and there I noticed the long wires that connected the floating islands together. There were cable cars hanging from the wire and it brought people from their destined islands. Behind the buildings were thick deciduous forest which, just like the ocean, stretched into miles away.

The place was just another idiotic one where people dressed up as this thick animal characters giving rainbow balloons even to older people. And something did took my attention. Just a couple of blocks from where I was stood a large sword shop, I noticed from that giant sword prop jutting out from the glass entrance. Happily I made my way to it. It was beautiful! Different types of _katanas_ were displayed by the glass window but the amount was fucked up. I couldn't, in my life, afford one, it was too expensive. I went in for the hell of it and as usual, loads of people were inside, mostly swordsmen. The shop had so many katanas that were different in forms and decorations, even from the time where they were made. I turned my head and I saw a blur of indigo moved past me that it pushed me backwards. "Oh! Oh sorry!" That person apologized, I wanted to see who it was but my eyes were too busy scanning every sword until my eyes rested on a gold magnificent _nodachi_ like sword.

I walked towards it, eyes on the prize. It was six foot long and in every corner, jewels were carved in it. It was made purely by thick gold even the blade which was peaking behind the sheath. It was in a separate stand which was guarded by a thick glass wall. It was locked by a twenty centimetre padlock. I was fascinated. "Ahaha!" I shot my head to the side were stood a huge old man with a bald head and large blob for a stomach. I frowned up to him. "Amazed aren't ya?" He asked, eyes on the sword. I nodded. "It's called '_En'gtuka'_ made by the tribes of _Ungara Tey._ They were the most skilled tribe ever to make such weapons. They always used golds and silvers!" The man shook his head and looked at me. "Kind of a waste if ye think about it but if yer a warrior, ye'd think it'd be worth using it in the battlefield." I agreed with the man, we had the same thought. A weapon will never be such as waste if it's worth it. "It ain't fer sale, tho." He added and I looked up to him raising my eyebrows. "But ye can win it." He poked my chest. "It's a prize for this yearly competition. Ye get send in the island _Tulu'swe_, it's just a couple of minutes from here but, it's the farthest floating island." He paused and grinned. "Ye get ta search fer the key deep in the forest," He shook his head to the right and looked at the sword. "It ain't yer normal forest. Full'a them tree huggin' squatters!" "What?-" "It's impossible ta find I mean, it's been what? Twelve years and no one still got it! Ye can still join, they still recruitin'. But 'am tellin' ye, kid. Island's fecked up. They said there's a curse. People just.. disappears ye kno." The large old man grinned. "Can ye stay fer long?"

I blinked and here was a thrill before me, something that I've been waiting for, for months. I cocked a smirk. The man's grin widened. "Tell ye' what." He took a flier from the back pocket of his pants and pressed it on my chest. "Ye look like someone who's desperate fer answers and have been impatiently waiting fer yer.. whatever life mission!" I took the flier, frowned at it then looked at the man. "Huh?" "I think ye should join!" My eyes went back to the flier once more and smiled. "Aye. Let me think about it. I'll come back to you tomorrow." I nodded, took once last look at the sword and stepped back. "Thanks, old man." I left the shop. Now, I didn't fully believe in what everything the man said although some things about the sword and that odd named tribe did made me ask some questions. I wanted to acquire the golden sword anyway. This is a good thing, I've at least made something for myself. I need action, I need to test my skills, I wanted to fight other men who call themselves swordsmen. I just wanted to forget about the ring and the other things, I hope this will work.

It took me the whole afternoon to get back to the ship, back to the lagoon where it was parked. Everyone else were there and shopping bags were everywhere. I heard Luffy crying and Nami screaming, it seemed that he bought yet another useless object. The others were happy about the island… too happy. "Hey you guys!" Luffy recovered. "Know what?! This island is really amazing!" He chuckled. "Maybe we should stay here for more days! I mean we are pirates after all and pirates should have fun! We should stay here and make the most of it!" I agreed with what he said. For the first time, I kinda' liked this island. It was interesting like the others islands but something about it was just too good. "Let's go have a dinner in the Red Dragon restaurant." Nami called. "Okay! Okay!" Luffy clapped his hands. "But, Nami-saan~!" Cook moaned. "Don't ya' want to eat my food?"

That night, in the gym, the temperature dropped and the place became chilly. The night was still young so I stared up at the stars and the moon, it was breathtaking, they seemed closer, especially the moon. Maybe I should proceed on entering that sword competition. I sighed and closed my eyes, for the first time, I wasn't afraid to sleep. I lay on the sofa. Maybe that competition really is the answer for my over reacting demeanour…

****

The next day when I woke up, Chopper, Usopp and Luffy had already fled into the island. I missed my chance. I wanted to go and talk to Luffy about my plan and tell him that I'll be gone for awhile, then again maybe he won't allow me after I fucked up the last time they left me on my own. But Luffy's unpredictable. A lot of people had already flocked the city, it was still ten in the morning. The only people who were left were Franky and Robin. Both seemed to grow close to each other. I walked up to them hoping that they'll understand my predicament. "Hey." I started and they looked at me, Robin smiling. "Good Morning." She greeted. "Yeah, uhm, listen I know this is such a short notice but uhm, see, I got this thing with a guy.." "Holy sh- what?!" Franky screamed. "Wait.. hey- no!" He grabbed my shoulders looking into my eyes. "No way, bro! I didn't knew you were.. gay." "What?! The hell- no I'm..! No! I'm not.. gay!" I stammered slapping off his hands. "I'm saying that.. I'll be gone..! For uhm, a couple of days!" Franky moved back. "Oh, you're leaving?" Robin asked. "Where?" Franky folded his arms. "No! Hell no! We can't trust you no more." "Shut up and listen!" I glowered. "Look, I know you can't trust me but I gotta do this! I know I need to talk to Luffy but.. he's an idiot. And I think this'll take my mind off from my.. those lost memories." Franky cocked his head from the side. The reason why I chose this two.. well mostly Robin, was because they were the oldest, although Brook is old too. "Mm, I suppose you should." Franky said. "Yes. That's alright, but do be careful." Robin added. "We will tell captain. Don't worry. And I hope you will remember or forget about your problems." I nodded. "Thanks."

I left the ship with only my swords and when I looked back to them, they were talking but were still looking after me. I looked to the front again. Both were like my big brother and sister, even though Franky can act like a total idiot, he will always still act as a grown up. Robin was just naturally matured and that's what was good about her. Maybe they could even be our mother and father.. nah! I headed into that sword shop where the old man told me he'd wait for me. And by the time I got there, he was already by the front door as if he was waiting for me. "Ah! Yer back, me man.. uhn.. Roronoa Zoro, right?" He laughed. Even though I should be surprised, I wasn't, my name seemed to have reached the heavens already.

"Aye, les' go!" He brought me into the station of the cable cars. He told me to wait for him and he bought me a ticket. As he was gone, I kept looking around my surroundings. There were many wires connecting the island and they were all thick. I'd say about twenty to twenty-five people could only get in the gondola. There were security guards walking around the area, I didn't noticed them before. The old man came back. "Phew! Jeepers! Still early in the mornin' an people's already gettin' busy?! Yeesh!" He nagged. "So wacha' got for me?" I asked. "Here ma, boy." He took my left wrist and tied a thin metallic bracelet. I frowned. "No ticket?" "This is yer ticket. It's different from the other island whereas there ye get a normal ticket. But this ain't no ordinary island." I looked at my bracelet, lifting it up to the light. It had the nos. '10,110,611' "Yes yes." The man started once again. "That's yer number, don't take it off. When ye get into the island," He held on my shoulder and walked me into the station. "Ye get yer infos from this man an listen carefully to all his instructions, they be important, ayt?"

We stopped in front of this gate that led into a cable car. I smiled in amazement and excitement. He gently pushed me in and I looked back to him, he was smiling too. "I can only stay here. Good luck, man! Ye'll need it." He looked to the side then back to me again while he walked backwards. "Once yer in there, ye can never go back unless ye got the key!" He last called out but yelled in the last minute. "Oh! An' don't get lost in the woods!". I turned my head and walked into the glass doors of the gondola. I looked out and it was amazing as ever. There were flying giant birds around us and the ocean was cerulean blue. The free floating roots kept swaying at the wind. I looked at the nearby islands and they were faintly covered by mist. Gondolas were moving past back and forth. I kept smiling. Soon, I heard the door close so I turned around only to find ten people with me, some of them looked back at me darkly and my smile faded. They all carried weapon with them and each had silver bracelets.

The gondola started moving and my stomach churned, I felt like I was about to fall. Happily, like a little kid, I kept looking out into the window. We were so high up from the ocean that ships were little dots. The gondola started flying past the other islands and they all had modernized buildings with them. It was then already an hour and we were still floating in the gondola. Then a woman's voice spoke by the intercom telling us that we were three miles from the destined island. I jumped from the seat and looked out the window once again to see a mist covered island. It looked ominous and threatening, smaller than the other islands. As we got closer, the mist cleared up and I was surprised and disappointed to see it looking the same as the other islands with them colourful buildings and such. I thought it'd be different but it was the same.

The gondola reached it's station and then the door slid open, I let the others leave first then I stepped out into the unknown. As usual, I kept looking around. Typical, large restaurants, malls, sports complex and theme parks. There were also stages probably for live action concerts. Just like what that man said, there was a heavily dense forest at the back of the city which a thick fogs hovers over the tall trees and a tall mountain was at the centre, it was so tall clouds smothered its peak. Another thing was, there were fewer people. I bumped into somebody and my expression changed, it was another guy who looked the same as those other midgets. "Hello, sir!" The little man said. "Mr. no.?" He asked and took my wrist. "Ah, Mr. 10,110,611." He wrote my number in his notepad. He turned on his heels. "Come with me, sir, and I shall guide you to your basic survivals and needs." We started walking while he kept talking and I indulged myself with all the sites. "Now, the manager of the island will call forth a meeting for all the competitors which will take place when there are enough contestants." He started explaining things that, again, I'll probably forget tomorrow.

"If you wish to hunt in the forest, there will be huts and restaurants for you to stay in and eat. There is a borderline that separates the moderate and high threat level of the forest. Now if you are not strong enough, please be intelligent not to test your capacity and please do not be reckless. The island will not take responsibility of your death." He brought me into this cream coloured tall building and we both went in. He then brought me to the information desk and took a key and handed it to me. "This is your key and the number carved on its flat side is your room number. This will be your apartment." He continued again. "All your clothes are free and every restaurant is free so you can eat in wherever you want." I looked at him walking out into the permanent open door. "Oh, and one last thing." He looked at me over his shoulder. "Do not trust anyone." He disappeared.

I looked at my key and dug it in my pocket to where the silver ring was. The lady in the information desk was typing something on her computer obviously not giving a hell about my presence. So as the curios person that I am, I walked out into the open air and kept looking around the last floating island. Some people were arranging musical instrument on the stage, probably for a gig. How about the performers? Can they leave the island too? Strumming of guitars and drumming boomed from the speakers over head. I gnashed my teeth and looked back to where I heard a bunch of screaming noises. I looked back to see someone singing by another stage. There was a performance, an alternative music performance. People then, mostly young people, flocked around the performers singing together with them.

I walked away from the crowd, agitated. How can someone find that darn key if some asshole starts screaming like that? I stomped my feet and kept walking away angrily until the noise level wind down. There aren't even clues to finding this key, how in the hell can someone get it? This is a fucked up goose chase.

"Agh, shoot!"

I was surprised to hear someone as annoyed as I was. I turned my head to where I heard a woman's voice until I froze. I stood there not moving not even breathing when I found _her_. It was that blue haired marine woman. She bent down to pick her broken glasses from the ground. I was like a rock statue. She straightened up and her face twisted from the sight of her broken glasses. My mouth opened and when oxygen was an issue, I breathed through the whole on my mouth. The marine was nagging softly and I prayed for her not to turn my way. Until… she did.

When I breathed, my breathing was shaking so much. We had the same expression, her eyes widened at my existence and mine did too. Her opened mouth dropped lower and she froze just like I did. We both acted like statues, idiotic statues. And all I remembered were our eyes locked at each other just like the last time we met…

* * *

**Coming up…**

"The hell are you doing here anyway?" I mumbled.

"I'm.. looking for the sword too, what do you think?" She snapped. "Yeah well, you're not supposed to be here." I straightened up and glared at her. "Marines are _not _supposed to be here. Your suppose to be.. I don't know! Doing busy boring things!" She glared back at me too, slamming her palm on the table. "Then surprise, Roronoa! I'm not a marine at the moment."


	3. But why you

**Author's note; **Of course! I don't own OP and it belongs to the great Oda-dono. Thanks for the people who reviewed! You guys kept me going. Next chapter may come out on Saturday, so please stay tuned! Nothing much to say. Less notes more story. Sorry for the delay!

* * *

**Chapter 3; "But why you?"**

* * *

That hateful feeling came back. The same feeling when I get badly beaten up, when the sides of my eye gets too blurry I can barely see anything at all. When I can't hear anything but an irritating hum and the faint drumming of my heart. My mouth fell open and without three seconds my mouth went dry. My whole body was rigid. I swallowed so hard and then I knew I needed to run away yet I didn't. The marine shook her head and mouthed the strong word _'no'_ at the same time stepping backwards. Her hands were loose by her side and her glasses fell back into the earth. She looked like she saw a ghost as her face turned pale and to me, she looked like she was about to cry or just suddenly go berserk.

We had the same emotion... fear. A bunch of teenagers came running between us erasing her image from my eyes. I craned my neck. Why was I searching for her suddenly? When the stampede of what seemed to be young swordsmen run off, the woman was gone too. So I started to wonder, had I imagined it? Had I hit my head too much or are my lost memories haunting me this much? I shook my head trying to zoom back into reality and to keep myself moving. Then I looked around for her, searching for a navy hair but there was nothing. "No, please let her not be here." I begged just under my breath. I don't want to see her! Let anyone be here! Any enemy but her! I realized, I was panicking so much my heart was bouncing itself out of my ribs. Not now, not yet, not ever! I'm not ready to face her again. If there is a God, please let me have her imagined.

I start to twist on my heels, eyes searching everywhere until I felt nauseated. I stopped and my head shot back to where she was standing and there I spotted her only remnant. Her broken glasses. "Shit.." I muttered. No, I didn't imagine her. My eyes stared at it and slowly, the feeling of regret started to build up. I regretted ever coming here. Now I can't leave unless I find that key. If there was any way I can bust my ass off this place I'd gladly do it. I turned around and tried to walk yet I didn't know where to go or what to do. I was so nervous. A tremulous sigh escaped my lips and I turned my head to the woman's property once again. My legs moved and walked towards her broken glasses and when I stood over it, I bent down but stopped when her image flashed in my mind.

I straightened up again, hesitating. My stomach churned and my hands trembled. The temperature of the island was cold and that didn't help with my nervousness because I started to get frostbites by the tip of my fingers. Why am I so afraid? I lifted my left foot back, bending my knees, deciding to kick off her glasses and then again I stopped and my foot dragged into the hard soil stopping itself only a few inches from the enemy's property. I paused and looked around once again. I knew I looked afraid, my facial muscles told me so. Again, I looked around for her but why? If I so wished to see her, why am I searching for her? "Why her? Why not anybody else? Why not another enemy?"

How can such a fragile being always scare me so much? She who needs _a lot_ of training before reaching my level. That weak little marine girl. What is it with her presence that fears me? And, why does someone have to have the same face as Kuina? I sighed heavily once again and decided to sit by a nearby bench. I regretted so much for being here. If I hesitated and stayed in the ship nothing like this would've happened. My hatred of her existence was even stronger than before. I wanted to crush her! To get her... killed? But, do I really want that? Do I really want to see the same face die second times in my life? I wanted her gone but I cannot do it myself.

What is this feeling? What is this remorse? This pain in my chest and gut. My memories of her crying under the rain resonated in my eyes. Yes, maybe, maybe I could ask her about my lost memories… _No! Stop it! _The monster in my head yelled. I slammed my fist in the wooden bench and cracked the weak piece of wood. I was clenching my teeth so hard my jaw hurts. What am I going to do? I need to look for that key as soon as possible and get the fuck out. I could even jump off this island if- no, I have to think of a better solution where I still end up alive. "No." I sighed rubbing my face with my hands. "Why is this happening to me?" I stayed with my hands in my face for a few seconds until I felt a slight jab from my pocket. It was her red glasses and I started twirling it between my finger and my thumb. What am I gonna do with this? Why did I pick this? It started with the glasses, she dropped it and I picked it up and broke it… there it started. If I didn't picked it up maybe we would... no, she's a marine, I'm a pirate, we will always end up as enemies.

"Omigosh! Look!" I heard someone squeal from the left so I straightened up and looked to that side. A bunch of blonde girls came striding towards me, an ear splitting grin plastered on their faces. It was a mob. I frowned, what the hell are these blondes doing here? "Are you, like, Roronoa Zoro?" One with the pony tail chuckled, the others followed suit. I nodded. "Ohomigod! Like, can we have your autograph?" She asked again, looking back to the others. Don't they get it? I'm infamous, I'm only famous because I've done 'evil' things, their not supposed to be squealing over me. "Well, I don't have.. a pen so I'm not sure.." "Oh no, that's alright!" The pony tailed blonde shook her head and took out a black marker from the back pocket of her denim skirt. "Here." I took it and stood up, I waited for her to hand me a paper instead she said, "Uhm, can you, like, write it here?" She pointed at her chest, I blushed. "E-excuse me?" I stammered. "On my chest. Can you do that?" The other jail-baits started to laugh and cheer. I sucked in my lips until I smiled in embarrassment. "You're not-- Are you serious?" I chuckled, now covering my mouth. She nodded.

"No, I can't do that." I shook my head handing her back her pen. "Okay then." Another one, with a brunette hair and pink lipstick stepped forward. "Can I give you a kiss?" "I'm sorry…?" Oh boy, this was going to be something. And my heart pounded once again! I stepped back. "Just on the cheek, duh!" "No thank you." I answered stepping back. "I have to go." I said. "Look! Now he's scared!" The blond said. "Ugh! Like, you probably scared him away, bitch!" "You did not just call me a bitch!" And that was followed up by a couple of scratches in the faces, hair pulling and wrestling on the ground. Shit! I can't believe I caused this mess! "Okay, uhm, I'll leave you girls out here, alright." I muttered walking away as fast as I could. "Oh no! Mr. Zoro!" One girl of the 'Jail bait clan' yelled. "I haven't talked to you yet!" And when they noticed me running away, of course, they ran after me.

I kept running away and those idiots were persistent, like the marines. I kept turning to the right looking back one time and they were falling back. I grinned and looked forward. Now I know this place, if I just keep running to the right I'll be—I stopped when I found myself behind the group of girls. They screamed and ran after me again. Dammit! Why do these things always happen to me?! Why must I keep getting lost? Every time I run I always end up finding myself in the same spot. So what I did was I just kept running trying to get the squealing air heads lost until of course, they got tired and I took advantage of that and went in a building and run in to a nearby open elevator. I pressed the close-the-door button and luckily, the door closed. I sighed in relief and tried to catch my breath.

I knew there was someone beside me but I didn't mind who it was. Why the hell were those younger teenagers in the island? I thought this was a dangerous island? Jeez, whatta' bunch of jail-baits indeed, always looking for danger. I rubbed my head and looked at the person beside me only to froze when**—"Aah!" **We both screamed at the same time.It was the marine girl! The marine was with me! Oh shit! I need to get out of here. I started to panic once again. I knew it! This was gonna be one hell of a day! My first day and I'm already- agh! I hate this island! It really is cursed! I started pressing on every button breathing through my mouth.

"Calm down, Roronoa!" She yelled at me. "Screw you. I'm not 'calming' down!" I rasped and kept pushing at every buttons just to get me the hell out. "Stop it!" She yelled again. "I'm not gonna eat you! Stop it!" She pushed me back but I didn't falter. "You're going to destroy the elevator and get us both killed!" Then she started pulling my shirt but I stay glued by the corner like a little boy. "Dammit! Argh!"

I lost control, I lost all traces of humanity and pulled out _Sandai_ and sliced the roof open. The last thing I heard was the sound of alarm and the electricity turning off until the elevator fell down and crashed…

****

I thought I was dead, that would be the best blessing the island could at least give me but when I woke up, I found myself sitting on a white room only with a few chairs, one long table and.. the marine. I groaned touching my left arm. The woman was sitting at the very end of the long table, glaring in front of her, arms folded over her chest and one foot tapping the floor impatiently. I rubbed my face and groaned again. There was a long awkward silence. Minutes passed and I wanted to know why we were both here, if it's about the broken elevator, I'm not paying. I sighed and leaned my back against the chair and lifted my hands behind my head. I checked the woman from the corners of my eyes and she stayed motionless, now, glaring at the floor. She looked kind of mad probably annoyed but most likely scared and pale. But there was more, she looked like she wasn't breathing. Now and again she would gasp and her expression keeps on changing like she was in pain.

I knew I should run or destroy the four walls but in my amazement, I wanted to keep studying her and my body was now calm. The tables had turned, she was the one who looked so afraid. I cocked my head slowly to her and I noticed she was chewing on her lower lip slapping off a stray hair from her face like she was so self-conscious. I stared at the side of her face and I growled angrily looking away. I always see Kuina in her and I hate it. The metal door suddenly flew open and a man with a red hair came in. He was pissed and he suddenly hopped on the table and sat on it. The man looked at both of us, glaring from behind his spectacles. I glared back at him. He rolled up his sleeves. "Good day, my name is Kaltawr and I am the deputy manager of the island." Who the hell cares? "I was eating my lunch until I heard a security news that you two nutcases destroyed an elevator from one of Tulu'swe's head quarters. Now, a lot of the people who pay good money are spitting complaints at me? What the hell, guys?" He asked, looking from me to her and back again. "Look, I know you're both here for action but murdering an elevator? Seriously." He paused and pushed the glasses over the bridge of his nose. "I'm not gonna let you two pay instead you'll pay with the price." He smiled. "Yeah that's right, when one of you gets the key, you'll have to hand me the En'gtuka."

Wait a minute.. that's the—"Bullshit!" I yelled and slammed my fist on the table but the woman interfered. "Sir, listen!" She started, hands on the table too. "I apologize for the inconvenience. _We_ didn't mean to do it. I'll leave the island and let's forget about everything else if that's possible." My head snapped and I looked at her, she was smiling weakly and I frowned. Really? She'll do that? Not that I'm complaining. I frowned at the red head asshole and hope he'll let her go. "No." The man replied in my dismay. "You guys have a problem with each other? Take it outside and make sure non of the luxurious resources of the island gets destroyed. Fix it by talking or whatever the hell." He jumped off the table and stormed off. "Get that sword for me." Was the last thing he said.

Marine and I were left again. There was a looong fifteen minute of awkward silence, I knew 'cuz I've been staring at the white round clock. I sighed heavily and dropped my chin on the table, my stomach grumbled and I lay my left cheek on the cold table. "I'm sorry." The marine suddenly said. I pushed my head up and looked at her completely, almost forgetting how she looked like. She was still burning a whole at the ground by glaring at it. I looked away and dropped my chin back on the table ignoring her. Why the hell did she apologize? What an idiot. "The hell are you doing here anyway?" I mumbled. "I'm.. looking for the sword too, what do you think?" She snapped. "Yeah well you're not supposed to be here." I straightened up and glared at her. "Marines are _not _supposed to be here. Your suppose to be.. I don't know! Doing busy boring things!" She glared back at me too, slamming her palm on the table. "Then surprise, Roronoa! I'm not a marine at the moment." She grinned mockingly. "I'm on leave with Hina-san! Isn't that just amazing?! No marines catching you and your.. pirate buddies!" Then she rolled her eyes and concentrated on the ground again. "And," She sighed. "We made a pact with the island owners that we won't catch any pirates no matter how dangerous they are.

That surprised me. I never knew marines could do that. I stared at her and blinked. Whatever, once that pink lady sees Luffy and the others, I'm sure she'll do something about it. Probably stalk them or massacre them in a dark corner or something. I kept quiet, placing my chin down on the table once again. Another long silence and then my heart started to skip a beat. Great, I'm nervous again. Why does it turn on and off. One time I'm nervous sometimes I'm not. Was it because we've been communicating like we were just normal people? Or was it the realization that we were both alone again? All these questions are just poppin' out one after another. I leaned my back on the chair and placed my hands on my lap.

I felt her shift away from me. "You can breath you know." She muttered, checking her nails instead of looking at me. I snickered. "More like _you _should breath." I frowned at her. "You look like you're going to pass out soon." Silence. I'm so sick of these. I sighed heavily and hung my head back and covered my eyes. "I really shouldn't have come here. If I knew you were gonna be here," I dropped my hands and looked in the front. "I would never come." I looked at her and she looked surprised, no, she looked hurt. But she brushed it off and looked annoyed. The marine stood up and as she walked away, she was rigid like a robot and stormed off the room and shut the door loudly. I didn't know we were allowed to leave.

I started heading into the information building by the time I bailed myself out of the island's head quarters. I wanted to quit and leave the island and I didn't gave anymore shit if my pride was going to be beaten down. Who the hell cares? I can't do anything with that woman around. On my way, I tried to take off the aluminium bracelet but every time I try to budge it off, it tightens itself around my wrist like a leech. I went in the building straight away and into the information desk but when I got there, there she was again. The woman had her back on me, I stopped by the door. Even though I knew she didn't saw me, she seemed to have sensed that I was around when her back stiffened and when she stopped talking to the old lady by the desk.

"Oh, that's alright, madam." She started with her soft voice. "I really appreciate your effort but I can see that it's impossible." She moved to her side. "Farewell, have a lovely evening." She bowed, turned around, eyes on the floor not looking at me even a peek. I exchanged that by rolling my eyes off and walking towards the old lady. The old lady was looking after her with a slight worry but I blocked off her sight so she looked up at me and I smiled. "Hi. Can I ask if there is any way I can get off the island?" I asked smoothly as possible. "I'm sorry, dear." The lady said. "No one is allowed out of the island unless you are a performer or a worker." She twisted her lip to the side and pointed behind me. "That young lady there also wished to leave. She was begging me. What seem to be the problem? People never wanted to leave the island. They were always so excited. It was never like this at all." Her grey eyes searched me. I sighed through my nose. "Uhm, thanks. It's just.. there are complications." I nodded and left.

***

During sunset, I sat myself by an open restaurant watching a gig while drinking beer and thinking about the lyrics of the song. It was one of those slow but with a mix of rock alternative love songs. I drank my last round of beer and finally decided to go back to the apartment. Of course, I made sure the restaurant was near my apartment so I got there for about ten minutes. People were coming in and out of the apartment while I went straight in the elevator and pressed the floor number of my room. Just as the door slid shut, a hand wound its way on the metal door and pushed it open, the door obliged.

It was none other than… the clumsy copycat marine. She was surprised to see me again but then grimaced and stepped in. I hope there were people coming in but no one did. 'Great! What an amazing lovely day!' I thought mockingly. "You have got to be kidding me." I chuckled scratching my eyebrow with the nail of my thumb. She pressed a number and I stared at it. "It's you again." I continued. "Must be my lucky day." "My room is in the very top floor and I'm not taking the stairs." She scowled by my side. I cleared my throat. "By the looks of it, you seem to be following me around." Marine looked at me. "Excuse me?" Her voice was trembling but trying to put some venom in it. "After the incident this morning, I thought you'd never take an elevator in your entire life." Then she slammed her back on a wall. "How'd the hell would I know you'd be here?" She hissed angrily which was the cause of my smirk. "Elevator murderer.." She whispered. "Stalker." I snorted.

After my single statement, she made a low growl and took herself off the wall and pressed the button number five which was the next floor. "Never mind." She said between clenched teeth. "I'm using the stairs!" The elevator came to a halt and the door opened after a bell. When she walked out, she was slamming her foot on the red carpet floor. I chuckled quietly, humoured by the marine's short temper. "Good! At least you're doing something for your legs!" I called out just before the door closed. I was smiling by myself until I stopped when I realized what I was doing. I shouldn't be doing this. I should think of a way to get out of the island and away from her, far far away. But I just love seeing the annoyed looked of that woman, just like the first and last time we fought.

I reached my room and turned on only the yellow lamp light. I opened the giant glass window and looked out into the night. The sky was once again full with stars. I sat on the windowsill and took out the woman's glasses. Does she still need this? Maybe I should ask her about-- no, I don't know. But I have to try and ask her if she has any idea about the island and my lost memories.. but would she ever tell me? Ugh! No way! That would be very hard! She's too.. freaky. I mean really, talking to the person who owns a dead face? That's just wrong. Although I am glad she's not going to be hunting me... well not yet I guess. I don't want to fight her.. maybe verbally but not physically especially not in this state.

I walked to my sofa and lay down on my back, facing the open window. I wonder how the crew's keeping up without me around and how about Luffy? What was his reaction when he knew I escaped? I'll worry about that later, for now, I should think about tomorrow and the next days and especially how to survive that woman. I hope she'll keep avoiding me and we won't see each other that much anymore. And if we ever do, I hope there will be a very few interactions between us. I closed my eyes and hoped for the best...

* * *

**Coming up…**

And that's when my mind clicked. On her left hand around her fourth finger, was a clean silver ring with an uncanny resemblance to mine.

I always hated puzzles, especially now that it was about her.


	4. You who seemed

**Author note; **One Piece, again, isn't mine although I hope Tashigi's mine... that's yeah, really impossible. But! Thanks for one particular very faithful reader! Thank you so much to you!! Let's begin. Zoro has a very bad mouth.

* * *

**Chapter 4; "You who seemed"**

* * *

I woke up late on my second day in... whatever-the-island's-name-is and when I woke up, I was amazed at how I didn't had any of those haunting dreams. I slept soundly like I used to before and I was feeling happy. The sun was up and the weather perfect. I went to the bathroom, washed my face and brushed my teeth then I headed out into one of those nearby restaurants. People were already surrounding the small city, some looking at me and whispering to one another. I looked around, waiting for the marine idiot's appearance. Negative, she wasn't around. So far so good. I took my breakfast of ham and egg in a restaurant and headed into a gym and on my way, I spotted the same group of blonde and brunette girls. I hid myself behind a nearby obese guy sitting on a bench.

I stayed behind the man for some time until the Jail bait clan left. I straightened up and looked around for the gym at the same time waiting and hoping that the announcement for the competition would take place soon, I couldn't wait anymore. I can't believe I'm saying this but, I'm missing my crew. Mostly, men populated the gym, there were some women but most of them looked to me more like men. Alot of them meat heads were glaring at me while heaving those heavy weights. They think they're better than me but fuck them! Those are just sticks to me. I smirked and shook my head at them. I grabbed myself some heavy weights and when I turned around five assholes loomed over me looking down at me from under their thick eyebrows.

"Hey, how you doin'?" I nodded at them. "Roronoa Zoro." "That's right. That's me." I answered. "Remember me, punk ass?" The one in the left pointed at his eye patch covered eye. "You did this to me." My eyes shot up and I half dropped my jaw. "Holy shit. For real?" I grinned. I didn't remember. "Goddamn." I chuckled and lowered the weights I was holding. "Can you be more specific. I mean, I've killed alot of motherfuckers." "You cocky son of a bitch!" He took action and lifted his large arm and slammed it down to me. Quickly, I lifted the heavy weight from my right hand and blocked his fist with it. He screamed, dropping his right arm with his other free hand caressing it. It's an amazing day! Now watch some assholes ruin it. A medium sized man lifted a metal stick at me trying to smack it on my back. I ducked and dropped both the weights on his foot and he screamed like a bitch like the other one.

I took the metal stick and when another guy ran to attack me, I stabbed his stomach with the tip of the metal but he was so full of fat, it bounced right off him. I went a couple of steps back but then I bumped on someone. I quickly turned around clenching my fists. It was a large man wearing everything black. It was a... bouncer? "No fighting in the gym." He croaked and picked me up like a pillow and toss me out of the gym. I rolled on the earth and what came after me were the other bastards. While my body kept rolling, I hit someone on the leg and that person dropped on top of me. I sat up and, **"You again!?" **The marine and I yelled altogether scrambling off away from one another. She glared at me for once and looked away, pretending to dust off herself. "Woman, you need to stop following me!" I yelled. "It's creepy!" "As if!" She replied back. "Who the hell do you think you are?! Some kind of a celebrity?" And so begins my day, my real day. It sparked another childish argument.

"Hey, hey! Wohow!" We both looked to the side to where the five motherfuckers were now up and moving again. I've half beaten down three, two more unscathed just waiting for me to lick their blood. I wiped off dirt from my face and grinned darkly at them, I'm not planning to get my swords filthy with these egg heads' blood. "'Nuff fighting with yow bitch, man, and les' do 'dis shyeet!" One of the two said, cracking his fingers. "Well, hello, cupcake?" Shit, I didn't notice one of them had gone too close to the marine and was now grabbing her right arm pulling her close to his ugly shit face. "What's a cutie like you doing here?" He chuckled. The woman was grimacing at him trying to push off his hand. It infuriated me. I'm the only one who has the right to make her uncomfortable like that. "Chehehe! You wanna fight with big boys?" Pisshole said one more time. "Sir, get your hands off me." The woman rasped. "Oho!" He pulled back his face and his other cock sucking buddies laughed after him.

That was enough, now they got me so pissed off. I pushed off the man holding the marine but then suddenly, she slipped off from his grasp, pulled back her right fist and slammed it into the meat head's stomach and when his face jutted forward, the woman pulled back her right fist once again and punched him on the chin. The man flew backwards and his body slid back on the dirt, he lay motionless. The other four watched with their eyes wide and mouth opened like I had. I shook my head and watched the lady in amazement. I didn't know things like these were possible until now. The thin weak woman I thought was not weak at all. She took a man five times her size. She started shaking her right hand frowning at the probably dead man then she snorted and cocked her head slightly to me. "Back off, Roronoa. I am capable to taking care of myself." She told me but was not looking at me. She shifted her gaze from the dead man to the other four. "And I ain't nobody's bitch." She pointed out, mockingly copying one of the men's voice.

Holy shit, not only can she land a hit, she can fucking trash talk. "Why you-!" The man she tried to copy ran towards her and she was being reckless for stepping forward welcoming the attack and challenging the man. But before she goes ballistic again, I pulled the back collar of her shirt dragging her behind me while kicking the attacking man on the rib. "Don't butt in my scene, lady." I told her and this time seriously beating up the four idiots who started it all. I defeated them in no time without using my swords like I said. I inhaled and exhaled deeply and wiped off blood from my cheek. I looked back to the woman and grinned at her. "You alright?" Then I frowned and rolled my eyes. "Oh, what do I care?" I looked away. "Show off!" She snorted, she seemed mad but there was always something in her voice that trembles. I stared at her holding her gaze but she gave up and looked away. Again, she looked like in pain and she was not breathing.

I finally looked away and stretched my arms. Damn, I didn't got to do some training but atleast that seemed like it. "Thank you, anyway." And after she apologized yesterday, now she was thanking me. I looked at her again, just the side of her face. A smile breaking loose from my face, I wanted to laugh but felt too immature so I nodded even though she wouldn't see me. Why is she being so nice? She's not supposed to. "What're you doing here anyway? You're not stalking me, are you?" I chuckled but stopped. She groaned and shook her head. "I was in the middle of my daily early morning jogging, Roronoa." She scratched her head. "Unlike you, I don't pick a brawl against everything that moves!" She scoffed. I didn't comment on that, instead I glared at the side of her face.

She never looked at me at all so that was good but I found myself staring at Kuina's face. Damn, why should she exist. That's one of the mysteries in my life, first was Sanji's hidden eye. Her expression always changed just like yesterday. What's up with her? Constipated? Sometimes she'd looked so pissed off, the next she looks like she's about to cry. I can't read her at all. Here I am being around the woman I keep on complaining about. I started moving but she moved with me so we both stopped and glared at eachothe. Well, not exactly. We looked at eachother with fear and wonder. "Didn't I told you to stop following me!" I scolded. "I'm not following you!" She replied looking at me but looked away instantly. "I'm simply going into the sword repair shop." I pulled back my face. That's exactly where I was planning to go too. The marine sighed and said, "Okay, fine! I'll be walking to the sword shop away from you since that's where you seem to be going too anyway. Let's walk away from eachother."

"Fine." I breathed but we never got separated, an annoying _okama_ wearing a jaguar fitting cloth with a fluffy purple hair suddenly appeared between us locking his arms around our neck, pressing our faces against his. "Hellohellohellooo~!" He said in his super high pitched voice. A loud techno music suddenly played at the background. The okama had a long stick like microphone which looked like a walking stick. People started to gather around us clapping their hands looking happy and screaming the name "Ruby! Ruby!" which seemed to be the gay's name. Then there were four cameras pointing at us. I started to get nervous and embarrassed. "Aaah!" The gay took his hands off us and made an ear exploding squeal through his microphone. "I just love it! Loveitloveitloveit!!" He clapped his hands then pinched the woman's cheek and he suddenly sticked on my body. "Such a cute little girl and hawt smokin' papa!" I looked down at him in horror and he fluttered his long fake eyelashes and winked at me. I shuddered and pushed him off. "Good morning, ladies and gentlemen in Tulu'swe, the sweet goddess Ruby, has finally come back to make all your lives entertaining!!" He squealed once again.

He started walking pulling the woman's wrist and mine with him. "Lovely day, lovely island, lovely people. Loveitloveitloveit~!" He kept yelling. While we were walking, the four cameras kept pointing at us and a bunch of people were walking after us with idiotic smiles on their faces. "I am sooo~ interested with the two of you! Like, seriously! Your fight was just so amazing! Oooh!" He turned to the marine. "Especially you, you cocky, sweet pie!" He chuckled, the woman was looking down then looked up to the okama and smiled. "Th-thank you." She blushed. The heavily make up-ed okama led us in a stage with a bunch of camera surrounding it with a single pink sofa with flower decorations and a long similar sofa. When we got there, the idiot let us go and went to a woman holding a make-up kit and he sat himself on the separate single sofa. Another gay guy who was wearing a headphone with a small round microphone connected to it, took us and settled us in the long sofa. "Okay, guys, you just sit here." He said, pushing us both down to sit on the sofa.

This is going to ruin my day. I frowned and got up but the person pushed me down by my shoulder and looked down at me. "No, sit." He ordered. "You two are so lucky, Ruby chose you to be the guests! Ah! A lot of people would love to be in your place. After he set foot on the island, all the people loved her!" "Him." I corrected. The okama's smile dropped. "She's a her, sweetie. A her." He repeated. He sighed and touched his forehead and bent down to me, he looked at Ruby. "Just call him 'she' if you don't want genocide, okay?" He grinned. I twisted my face and shook my head slowly. "Then if a lot of people want to be in our place then you don't need me." I stood up but then a loud yell from Ruby surprised me so I sat myself back down and the other guy I was arguing with went down and mouthed 'sit' to me.

"Good morning once again and welcome to our new guests!" Ruby smiled at me and marine. I looked around and people began to flock the area with ignorant smiles on their faces. I grimaced and glared at the pointing camera. I looked at the woman who situated herself away from me on the sofa as possible. She was arranging her hair and dusting herself from some dirt. "Now you two just take a chill pill 'cuz I'm not gonna bite you! I'll be just asking questions." Ruby said reaching out to tap the woman's knee. "I would love to ask you two sweet pies about some questions since you looked to me like you two are new here." He grinned and leaned back on his seat. "Let's begin with you, miss.." "Tashigi." The marine smiled coyly. Ah, so that's her name. I knew I've heard of it but I forgot. Tashigi, like that flightless bird. "Tashigi.." Ruby nodded. "Yes." Tashigi agreed.

"So then, Tashigi-chan, what motivated you to come to this island and go search for the key of En'gtuka." Ruby asked. Tashigi took a deep breath and started running her palms on her thigh. "Well, even when I was a little girl, I was always fascinated by a lot of things especially swords. Mostly famous katanas." "Oh, I see. But did you know that the Ungara Tey made En'gtuka as a mixture of their tribal sword and the katana? Are you still interested in it?" "Yeah, definitely!" The marine giggled and shook her head. "En'gtuka just took my attention and I just fell in love with it the first time I saw it." "Interesting." "So I set my goal and accepted the challenge of searching for the key." Ruby gasped, covering his mouth with his red nail polished fingers. "Oh! But do you know what lives by the woods?" "Uhm.. well, I haven't really find out but whatever it is, I'm sure I'll be able to handle it."

While they kept yapping away, I was studying the woman's movements and, man, was she shaking. She was so nervous, everyone could point that out. The way her voice always trembles and her eyes either staring on the ground or around the place. I guess she was never used to this amount of audience. Tashigi would take a glance at the smiling ugly okama then look away and start fiddling with her foot or hair. She sighed before answering a question and rolled up the sleeves of her shirt and played with her fingers. And that's when my mind clicked. On her left hand around her fourth finger, was a clean silver ring with an uncanny resemblance to mine. My heart started beating so fast and I dropped my mouth slightly. Did she took it from me?! Quickly, my hand wound it's way inside my right pocket but the ring was not there so I tried the left and was so surprised when my fingers went around it. Secretly, I took it out, hiding it behind my left thigh and started studying it. I looked at Tashigi's ring and they were the exact copy. My hands began to tremble and my heart was beating on my throat.

I wanted to confront her as soon as possible when I get her alone, but not for now. I stared at her face, here was the key to finding out about my lost memories. I was even more curious about her even before when we first met. When I knew that there was a person who looked like my dead friend, I began asking and now, I was making more theories about her connection to my other questions. My heart was beating so fast it seemed like it was battling with my head. Questions were overlapping in my head and I didn't knew which to ask myself first. Plus, the okama's annoying laugh was irritating and now, he was yelling and calling. Until I was knocked back into the present when he hit me with his long microphone. "Hey, hey! I'm calling you!" He said. I rubbed my head glaring at him. "What's the matter with you?" I scowled. "Baby, I can ask you the same question.

I took a deep breath and leaned back, I looked at Tashigi who was also looking at me with one eyebrow rising up. When I caught her eyes, she frowned at me and closed her slightly parted lips. "What, Roronoa?" She asked and looked at the smiling Ruby. Ruby made an insulting joke about me to the crowd. I looked at the woman who was now chuckling after the okama. I always hated puzzles, especially now that it was about _her._

****

It was already noon when the abomination of an okama set Tashigi and I free. My stomach demanded for lunch but I ignored it. Tashigi left before me, standing up from the sofa and talked to Ruby for a short time, smiled, nodded and walked away into the separating crowd. She was disappearing, the scattered audience eating her away while I was making up my mind whether I should go after her but I was procrastinating. I hated myself for being too… afraid. I was afraid of the awkward silence and if she was going to insult me, I don't know if I can top that. Tashigi hated me after she knew I was the Roronoa Zoro. She probably hates me so much she would kill me if she was not holding back. I know she hated me so much she would really kill me and break that pact with the island owners. She might also think of me as an idiot, which is true.

The mutual hatred she felt towards me was dead obvious. The way she couldn't act when around me and the way she clenches her fist and not breath like I was a bad odour. But my curiosity was eating me and without my volition, I jumped off the sofa and ran after her pushing through the crowd and finally standing behind her. I reached out an index finger and poked her shoulder blade. She shuddered and instantly turned around. When her round eyes met mine, I made a crooked ugly smile and lifted a hand and nodded. "Hey, what's up?" I felt like a total psycho when she raised an eyebrow at me making me feel like an idiot. She took in a trembling breath and a smile broke from her face but she shook it off and continued frowning at me.

"Are you stalking me?" She asked and sucked in her lips after folding her arms. "No.." I looked around and scratched the side of my neck. "Maybe." Again, with the awkward silence that I dreaded. Tashigi moved to her side and started tapping her foot and suddenly, she smiled then bit her lip and turned her head away probably shaking off whatever thought she had. "Well," She dropped her hands and sighed heavily. "Good bye forever, Roronoa." Then she started walking.

"No wait!" I reached out my hand and grabbed her elbow. "Hold on." She turned around and looked at my hand then slowly up to my face. I took off my hand and inserted it in my pocket. "What?" She rasped and looked at my chest. "I just.. wanted to ask you something." I stammered and licked my lips. She started walking so I went with her but was walking far from her. I pointed at her left hand. "About your silver ring." She stopped dead in her tracks and hid her left hand. "Where did you got it?" I asked once again and stood in front of her. Tashigi kept moving her head from side to side and she stepped back from me. She was blinking multiple times and started panting. I frowned, looking puzzled. "Is something-" "You know what? Uhm.." She dropped her head and placed her hands akimbo and kept tapping her foot. "I.. really need to get back Shigure from the repair shop." "Who?" "M-my sword." She lifted her head but kept her eyes on my chest.

"I'm going there too, remember?" I was panicking again, here it was. I wanted to ask her if I could come with her. "Uhm.. ah.." But it was impossible. There was no way I could open my mouth and let the words go. I could not find my strength and guts. "Ah.." She looked up to me and by the time our eyes met, I shook my head, turned around and left. I left her by herself not even saying good bye or make a witty remark. I just left. She was probably very confused but that's alright I guess. I mean she looked like in pain being with me so maybe she wanted it to happen too. I cannot bring myself into talking to her for just even a single minute without insulting her. I found a little bit of strength but when I'm with her, I just loose it all, it doesn't last very long. My courage was like a wave, going up and down.

****

Same thing I did during the afternoon was drinking beer in a nearby bar although I know I should be training or doing something for myself, but I couldn't concentrate, the ring around Tashigi's fourth finger just keeps hovering over my head. I looked at the orange and red horizon and had that longing feeling for someone. Like I was craving for someone I didn't know of. And I hated that feeling like I always have. It came back again and after I thought they'd all disappear.

I wanted to know about the woman and the ring as soon as possible. Ah! Here it is again! My moronic courage. I wanted to confront her so I can stop myself from all of this. I clenched the can of beer until froth rose to the top and the can mangled between my fingers. A waitress came which stopped me from murdering the can. She stood infront of me smiling and then she tucked a maroon hair at the back of her left ear. She had a short dress and an apron at the front. In her right hand was a try with cans of beer. I nodded at her. "Do you want another can or two?" She asked bitting on her lower lip and pressing her swelling bust against eachother.

I looked away and stood up. "No thanks." Then I left inserting frozen hands in my pocket. Time flies by so fast and I felt annoyed because I haven't done much. I need to face my fears and really get on with what I need from that woman no matter what her answer is whether she knows or not. But then.. can I really handle the truth if it's something awkward? But, what's so bad about it anyway? I'm just gonna walk to the woman, make sure I'm calm and pretend to be nice and normal as possible. Then that's it problem solved. She'll answer what she knows and if she doesn't, well tough! Atleast I'd get her off my back.

I think it'd be great if none of this concerns her. Maybe someone just gave her that ring, I don't know some boyfriend or some melodramatic crap like that. What so hard about it anyway? I'm just going to pretend for some short time. I mean, I can go up against dinosaurs and admirals, even one of the seven warlords of the seas, also, I'm just going to ask a question. Alright then, Zoro. You're cool, you're calm and everything's gonna be A okay. And if I get the answer, I'll ignore her and pretend she never ever existed. First, I need to pretend to be so nice to her, I need to win her trust so she'll tell me without any sarcasm included. I need to if I want the real answer, maybe I should take things slowly, little by little. Then again I still need to make up something for being a moron. I need an alibi or something. But would she even befriend a pirate? Her enemy?

This is so hard, making friends with someone you dislike is just so hard. Mmm, maybe I need something to give her. Maybe her glasses? Does she still need it? Maybe I should give it to her and pretend I always wanted to give it back to her then probably ask her the question. I need to be a tactician or a charmer. Unluckily I don't have the abilities of the ero-cook. But if I pretend to be nice only because I want something from her, would that make me a user? 'To hell with it!' I'll have to do it anyway. I looked around. Ah, shit. I'm lost again. I knew I shouldn't have stayed in that bar, it was too far.

I turned around only to meet a dark face thickly covered by brightly coloured make up. "Surprise!!" "Shit!" I screamed and stepped back. It was the okama Ruby and I almost landed a hit on him. Damn, good thing I stopped myself. I glared at him and took a deep breath trying to steady myself. He kept grinning at me and I rolled my eyes and pushed his face away so I could walk past him. But he ran beside me. "Hey, Zo-chan! Where are you going?!" He started skipping like a little kid. Surprisingly, his fans weren't around, he was alone with me this time. "To my apartment." I answered, monosyllabic. "I was so sooo~ interested with you and Tash-Tash!" He ran infront of me and walked backwards and I grumbled and looked away. "What are you two, anyway?" "Enemies." I answered back. He gasped and slapped his hands to his face. "No!" Jeez, what an over reacting perv.

"But I.. need.. to be friends with her." I wanted to commit _hara-kiri _after saying that. Of all the people I said that too, it was to him. "Okay. Then let me help!" Ruby said. I stopped and looked at him. Hold on, maybe I can use this idiot. He's a happy-go-lucky bastard who thinks of himself as a woman. Yeah maybe I should ask help from him. Then he glomped on my left arm and I pushed him away grimacing. "D'ya like her?" "What?! Hell no!" I rasped and he sticked on me again. "Good." I pushed him away once again. "Alright! Since no woman has taken your heart, I'll be happy to help you!" "Really? Well, thanks.. I guess." "Under one condition." Ruby folded his arms. "What is it?" "You'll have to go out with me if you two become friends." "You're shitting me, right?" I snorted.

"Aw, c'mon, Zo-chan!" He sticked on my side. "No, go away! I'll do it myself!" "No you can't. You're too mean." I sighed. "Alright, I guess you got a point there. Fine!" I sighed. "If you can get us into becoming friends, you can… hold my hand as long as you want." I bit the side of my cheek. He clapped his hands and his eyes turned into stars, just like Luffy's. "Reeaallly~!" He asked. "Whatever." He threw long and muscular arms around me and I had to push him back. "Oh, I'm so happy! I really like you, Zo-chan!" I kept pushing. "'Cuz you're very hot!"

**

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**

Coming up...

"Tashigi… I think we should be friends." I looked at her eyes. She pushed back her head. "Uhm.. huh?" "I know, I know it's sound really crazy but.. can we… maybe just up until we leave the island?"

"Oh right! Yeah! Ofcourse, Zoro!" She woke up from whatever she was thinking. Tashigi was blinking so fast. "Definitely!" She answered nodding her head. "Yeah," She looked down. "I think.. I think being just friends is okay.."


	5. Weak and fragile

**Author's note; **No, not much note here. I'm just happy to know that someone's reading my crappy story. Oh well! By the way, I like okamas. So I will need one for the story. Thanks again Mr./Ms. BlackPanther1987 for all the reviews. I'll keep writing for yo then!

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**Chapter 5; 'Weak and fragile'**

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"Alright, okay." Ruby started and walked around me while I sat on a bench, one arm hooked at the back. He started tapping his long stick on his left hand. "Here's what you have to do," Then he suddenly went down to my level. "You have to be nice to her but still act normal." I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, I kinda' have figured that one out myself." He started walking in circles again. "Then you apologise for being such an idiot and ignorant and for all your mistakes." He faced me and rubbed his chin. "This is very simple, Zo-chan. Especially because our target is someone like Tash-Tash who seems really nice and naive."

Yeah, well, that's what he thinks. She's a marine for goodness sake. Maybe for him all these is probably too easy but for someone like me, I'd rather wish for Armageddon. "When she bites, you just gotta' make connection, you know. Keep on talking and talking to her." "That wouldn't be so hard for you." I pointed. "Then you think about everything she likes, if you know any." I reflected then shook my head to the right. "You're kidding. I can't do that." He frowned and pouted at my stubbornness. "That's sounds like I'm courting her." "Exactly! Earning a friend is almost the same as cou- Oh no!" Then he slapped his face and sat beside me. "But you're not supposed to like her." "Yeah, I know that." I nodded. "Because you're suppose to marry me, Zo-chan." I covered his face whole with my right hand and pushed his head back. "You're stupid and therefore wrong." I rasped.

I let go and bent down to place my elbows on my knees and I covered my face with my hands. "Forget it. I can't do these." "But why not?" I straightened up after rubbing my face. "Nothing, never mind. I'm really not good at socializing." Ruby blushed and was biting on his lower lip, his eyes turning huge and beady. Then he wrapped his arms around me. "Waah! Zo-chan is so cute!" I pushed him off me again until he budged and poked his chin with his index finger. "Oh, I have almost forgotten! Tonight's the weapon signing." "What's that?" I asked and he looked at me, smiling. "It's when you have to sign in your weapon for the competition so they'll know all the in formations about your weapon." He answered. "It's tonight at... I think seven thirty? So we're going to see each other again!" He opened his arms and collapsed to me but I got up and moved away so he fell on the empty seat. "Okay, enough, Ruby! And try to encourage me to be... friendly." Ruby sat up straight and cleared his throat then looked up to me. "Alright, okay. So again, if you see her, always say 'hi' or 'hello' or even 'hey, how are you?'" He shrugged and looked at his nails. "You know the drill. Don't worry, Zo-chan, I will always be beside you in your time of awkwar-- oh! Oh! There she is!"

Ruby suddenly jumped up from the bench and pointed behind me. I turned around to where he was pointing and there she was, walking on her own looking like a juicy prey. I took out her broken glasses from my pocket and looked at her once again. "What the fuck is that?" Ruby asked grimacing at the object. I ignored him and made my way to the woman but when she moved her head slightly so I can see her face, I turned around and walked back to Ruby. "Hell, I can't do it." I shook my head until Ruby pushed me forwards and started dragging me. "Oh, come now, Zo-chan! You're a man! I don't wanna marry a chicken!" "No, Ruby, don't!" I cried pulling back my hand but it was no use. The okama started screaming her name, people looked at us. I was blushing like hell, I could feel my face heating up. I just kept on looking away pretending Ruby wasn't pulling me. Slowly, I looked at the blue haired woman and she was smiling when she saw Ruby but when she landed her eyes on me, her smile died away and she frowned but turned to Ruby.

So here we go again. Ruby dropped my hand when we stood in front of her. "Hey, Ruby-san." Tashigi greeted. I waited for my name but she didn't say anything. I knew Ruby was also waiting for her to greet me but when he felt that that was about it. "Uhm, Zo-chan, Tash-Tash! He's here to y'know! Haha!" Ruby stepped to the side so Tashigi could see me. "Yeah, okay." Tashigi agreed plainly. Silence until Ruby clapped his hand. "Uhum, okay, odd! Tash-Tash, what time was the weapon signing tonight? Was it seven thirty?" He asked. "I heard it would be on seven o'clock sharp." Tashigi replied. "Ah, ch! I got the time wrong again. Silly me!" Then they both chuckled. I ignored them and kept looking up into the sky. I knew exactly that this was my chance of speaking and trying to be 'friends' with the woman but the thing is, it's a big deal when you finally get the chance to do or need to do something- more than anything. It can kind of scare the crap out of you. I licked my dry lips and shifted to take a glance at Ruby.

I moved back a little to see him with his large eyes opened widely to mine and I knew exactly that he was trying to tell me to do all the things he told me to. I shook my head and looked away. "Let's go there!" Ruby pointed to the bench where we used to sit and he jogged towards it. Tashigi, probably hating the fact that we were left, ran towards the skipping okama so what the hell? I guess I'll just have to go too. Ruby sighed in relief when he situated himself by the wooden bench while Tashigi sat beside him smiling and was only looking only at him. "Oh what's that, Zo-chan?" Ruby suddenly blurted. I frowned down at him. "What?" "You got something to say to Tash-tash?" Is he crazy?! What's he trying to do?! I was glaring at him while trying slowly to shake my head. Tashigi was now looking at me with a blank expression. I flushed and forced myself to smile. "What… what are you-?" Ruby rolled his eyes and turned all his attention to Tashigi and took her hand in his. "Do you know? Zo-chan and I are secretly _dating_." He winked.

"Goddamn pervert!" I lunged into him and started squeezing his neck with both of my hands rocking him back and forth. The hell did he said that? I knew I really shouldn't have trusted the okama. The marine girl started to chuckled beside us. "Tackh-Tackh!" Ruby chocked reaching for our audience. "Hecklp!" "Ahaha!" Tashigi laughed and slowly touched my hand with her right hand and looked up at me warmly. "Okay, okay, Roronoa. Please let her go." And I did, just so I could avoid her touch. "We are _not_ dating, okay!" I growled but she was not listening, instead, she was grinning while trying to sooth the perverted idiot. "Ah! It was horrible, Tash-Tash!" Ruby lay his head on her chest doing crocodile tears. "I thought I was gonna die." Then out of nowhere, I said, "I'm sorry…"

Ruby and Tashigi both looked up to me. Ruby then grinned and took my hand. "Oh no!" Then he abandoned the woman and sticked on me again. "We always hurt the ones we love. I understand th-" "I mean not to you!" I scolded took a deep breath and moved my body to face Tashigi. Her eyes widened and she froze. "To you, I mean." I repeated. "I'm sorry, for everything." It was so eccentric the way I just suddenly apologized at the wrong time. It wasn't intended I know I should've had said it some other time but, well, I did it. She looked blank faced again and looked at the ground and smiled weakly. "S'alright." She continued rubbing on Ruby's back again. I took that advantage to look straight to her left hand in search for her ring, but I was disappointed to find it nowhere in sight. I started to get annoyed.

"Oh we are such a happy family!" Ruby got up and pulled Tashigi with him and hugged us both by the neck. I tried to push him away again. "We're all friends now! I should be the mommy, Zo-chan the daddy and Tash-Tash our little precious princess!" "To hell with you, okama!" Then he quickly took his hands off us and hid behind the woman from me. I kept glaring at him but then woman shook her hand to the front so I looked at her and she gave me look. I took a deep breath and rolled my eyes. "Anyway," I took out her glasses from my right pocket. "This is yours, right?" I handed her the broken piece and she took it with her eyes wide open. Tashigi looked sad while cradling her glasses. It was that vulnerable look about her that I recognized and feared. I turned around and pretended to look up into the flying giant birds. "Sorry about what happened to it." Then I moved to scratching my eyebrows. "I just.. I just saw it lying on the ground so I planned to pick it up and maybe…" She was saying something not listening to me while I too was speaking. Her words were like muffles as she had her head down to her property. "Uhm, huh?" I asked. She slowly rose her head and frowned at me. "Why did you took it?" I shook my head and shrugged. "Can you still see though?"

Tashigi dropped her eyes together with her hands and nodded. "Mm, yeah, sure." I looked up again to the flying birds and one bird took my attention, it was flying towards the woods and it made me wonder about where and why it was going there. Then I stopped. What the hell am I thinking?! "Okay… awkward, again!" Ruby yelled and Tashigi muttered apologies to him. I remembered what I did yesterday. Maybe if I should apologize to her she would slowly trust me… but maybe. "I'm sorry… again, for yesterday. When I left you hanging." She looked at me trying to make sense what I was apologizing for. I moved my head closer. "Remember, yesterday afternoon?" Tashigi suddenly shuddered and nodded multiple times. "Yeah that! No, don't worry about it." Then she started to move away from Ruby and I.

I grinned and acted shy. "Listen, I was.. I uhm, I needed the toilet so bad so I just.. I felt _it _falling so I just had to run away." I looked at her, still smiling. "It's one of those times where you're in a very bad situation at the wrong time and place-" "Oho! I get that a lot, Zo-chan. Yer not alone!" Ruby started laugh hysterically. I laughed nervously alongside him. "Look, you guys, I have to go." Both Ruby and I stopped and looked at Tashigi, still with our mouths open. She started tapping her foot again, the same time when I felt her act nervous. Something was bothering her. "Again? Where?" Ruby asked moving closer to her. He started looking around. "Can we come?" "No, no! It's alright." "What, is some idiot stalking you? Trying to kill you? Is he around?" He kept looking around again which infected me and I started to look around too. "Noho!" Tashigi chuckled and rubbed her forehead. "No, Ruby-san, no one is stalking me." She grinned at the okama's idiocy. Ruby placed dark hands on her shoulders and concentrated on her eyes. "Or did you owe someone money and he's haunting you now." "What? No! God, no. Uhn.." Tashigi kept chuckling then she took Ruby's hands off her shoulder and looked straight in his eyes.

"I don't owe anyone anything." Then her eyes shifted to mine which left me surprised. "I just need to wash my hair.. I ah, haven't washed it since yesterday." She then left and that was the last time I saw her until the evening where we had to 'sign in' our weapons.

****

When the three of us separated, I stayed by a bar and started listening to the performers doing a slow song. I missed my chance to ask the woman again, maybe later. Yeah maybe later I should get it on with her. The sooner the better. I looked at the clock hanging over the door of the bar, ten minutes to seven p.m.. I walked out and stayed standing in the square where people were preparing for the signing up arranging tables and chairs. There were thirty tables, I counted, then the competitors started to roam the area in groups. I started searching for Tashigi hoping that I'd see her before Ruby comes—until he found me first.

"Zo-cha~n!" He called out waving a handkerchief at me. I rolled my eyes and massaged the bridge of my nose. He started glomping my arm. "The hell are you doing here, okama?" I asked. "Eh? I'm a competitor too!" It surprised me. I looked down at him raising my eyebrows. "You're kidding. There's no way-" "What? You think a woman can't take care of herself?" He twisted down his lower lip. "I have been competing for three years now, Zo-chan, and I still haven't seen the key. So, I've been in the island for three years. I'm, like, living here." I grinned at him which caused him to easily blush so I kept my face serious. "Yeah? Where's your weapon?" Ruby lifted up his microphone staff and revealed it to be a straight short katana. "Ohoho! Surprised ain't ya?" He grinned then lowered his sword. "It'd be so exciting to see my Zo-chan fight. Then he started to nuzzle my arm. "Okay, enough!" I pulled away. "You're creeping me out." "Aye, lez' go to Tash-Tash." He pulled my arm and I let him. "You know where she is?" "Yeah, we came here together, babe." I grinned widely and started walking faster than him. "Great." I whispered.

Why is she only being nice to okama but not to me? Okay so maybe because we're enemies but hell, woman! I already swallowed my pride! 'Be nice.' I reminded myself. I spotted her drinking a coconut juice from a can and we came to her side while she was busy craning her neck. Quickly, she sensed us and looked at me then to Ruby. She smiled and nodded while I stared and smiled at her too wishing that maybe she'll find me nice. But as usual, she only had eyes for Ruby. Static screeched from the over hanging speakers on the poles and people started complaining. Then a familiar voice spoke from the speaker. I frowned and looked at the front stage. On the middle with a microphone, was the bald old man who asked me to join the competition. I never knew his name more importantly, I never knew he was the manager of this island. Goddamn.

"'Scuse me, ladies an' gentlemen!" He started, grinning. "Ah, I see ye're all here! Haha! Excited?!" Then the people answered. He started talking in his weird pirate like accent which made me so bored. He talked about the annual competition and where no one has ever found the key and how people kept disappearing. And when he started talking about the forest, he was serious and seemed angry. But he brushed that off and started saying thank you and blah, blah, blah. So signing time, finally. We, the competitors, made a line on each tables. "Next." After what seemed like six minutes, a lady called. I walked to her in the table and when she looked at me, her eyes widened behind her glasses. "Wow," She chuckled. "Roronoa, I never thought I'd live the day. Okay, name of the swords?" She asked and turned to a yellow paper. "_Wadou Ichimonji, Sandai Kitetsu _and _Shuusui._" She wrote them down. "Right." Then she took three metallic bracelets, same bracelets around my wrist. "Tie that around your swords and your free. Next!" She yelled and I walked away. I started fastening the bracelets on each swords and after I did, I tried to take it off but like before, I only tightened its grip around them.

I grinned and walked to the not so crowded area and almost peed my pants when I saw Tashigi standing alone, waiting. My heart started beating. Oh damn, here I go again. 'Come on now, Zoro. Walk up and try to talk'. I nodded and obeyed my head while swallowing nothing. I started breathing through my mouth. Tashigi slowly turned and made a second glance when she saw me, I stopped. Oh shit. But then she smiled and nodded. 'Crap, no woman! Look away. I don't want you looking at me.' And she did, as if she read my mind. She looked away but was still smiling. I continued walking and stopped only a meter away from her. If it wasn't for her ring, this would never happen. We didn't said anything to each other and it didn't felt so awkward. I should be doing something, I need to talk. Here I am, trying to make conversations with the enemy, the person I hated to ever see again.

I pretended to look around but I was really trying to look at her ring again. No luck, wasn't there. Damn. "Lovely night." I suddenly blurted out that I bit my tongue so hard by the time I closed my mouth. Of all the things-! "Oh yeah." She agreed and looked up to the constellations. "Amazing." I checked her from the corners of my eyes. She was frowning while smiling, probably thinking 'what the hell'. Damn, she never looks at me, I may as well be invisible. When she talks to me, she barely looks. "I've been in, uh, sky island before." I started, yes, good conversation. "They got, like, enormous amount of gold there." I looked at her. "And we stole some." And with that, she shot me a look, her smile unsure. Oh shit, no wrong conversation! Wrong conversation! I panicked. Dammit! I forgot I'm talking to a marine. "But it was cool, you know, 'cuz, well they really wanted to give them to us. She nodded and looked to the front. I inserted my cold hands in my pocket wishing I won't make the same mistake. I need to watch my mouth.

"Wow." She suddenly said. "This is my first time." She cleared her throat. "I really like it here. It's really amazing." Tashigi nodded. "Yeah." "I mean, it's like a fairytale land, you know. Look at everything." She gestured around. "We're in an amazing floating island over the misty clouds and… wow!" She was looking up. "I have never seen the moon so big." I looked up too. "Yeah." "Look at those stars!" She suddenly squealed like a little girl which surprised me. "I'm sure some of them have planets around them." Then she turned to me. "Do you believe in aliens?" I cocked an eyebrow. Somehow, in a very weird way, I liked talking to her, although now she was talking nonsense. It seemed… alright. And after I thought we'd always scream insults to one another, like we used to at the beginning. "Oh I'm sorry!" She apologized after I didn't reply sooner. "I'm being a chatterbox again. Haha! Sorry." Then she bit her lower lip and looked down.

I licked my lips and stared in her dark blue eyes. "No, it's alright." I smiled. No, what am I doing? I'm not supposed to make big conversations. Time to ask, Zoro. I took a deep breath and shook my body. Okay, this is not gonna be hard. I opened my mouth but the words won't come out, I have the words at the tip of my tongue but they just stayed there. My was heart pounding faster again. I can't do it. Maybe not yet. It's not like I'll be gone tomorrow. Suddenly, there was a change of plan. I wanted to ask later. For now, I wanted to talk. Yeesh, talking to the enemy. What a bad, bad move. What if that ring was confidential? I need to be understanding. Yeah, maybe later. "Hey, what's your sword's name again?" I'm such a coward. A coward.

"_Shigure_." She answered. "It's like a boy's name." "Yeah, sounds like it." Only the noise of the commotion before us took place, until I heard her chuckle softly. I turned to her. "What?" Tashigi was shaking her head. "Are you and Ruby really going out?" "No! What?!" I glared. "We are not going out. No never!" "I know, I'm sorry.. I'm just." She chuckled. Whatta weirdo.

Ruby came and wrapped his arms around our elbow, he was standing on the middle flirting with me again. Just as Tashigi and I were communicating, the gay asshole took the scene. "Let's have a drink! My treat!" He said, as if we had to pay. "I don't.. drink." Tashigi said. "Come now, Tash-Tash." Ruby pulled her. "You ain't goin' nowhere! We'll have a part-ey!" Ruby screeched. That's it! Good work, Ruby! Keep acknowledging her to come before she leaves again. "Where having a drink~!" The okama started singing. "What are we drinking?" I asked.

****

"Lemon juice?!" I growled and glared daggers at the okama. "Hey what? It's good for you?" Ruby answered after another round of a fucking juice. "You're a pirate, Zo-chan. I'm sure you lack vitamin C!" "Fuck that! I thought we were drinking beer in a pub?" "Oh hell no!" Ruby dropped the tip of his stick on my head. "With them stripper waitress around? Hell no!" Then he pouted lips. "Aren't I and Tash-Tash enough for ya'?" "Don't be ridiculous!" "Anyway! Let's get to know each other more!" He turned in his psychotic self again. "What's yer fave colour, Tash-Tash?" "Well-" "What a boring conversation." I frowned and leaned back on the sofa. "What're you a little kid?" Ruby squinted at me. "Then what do you wanna talk about? Some adult stuff like sex?" I almost coughed the juice. "Fine by me. Tash-Tash, how was your _first time?_" "What?!" Tashigi cried, turning beet red. I flushed too. "Hey, hey! That's too much." "Yeah, Ruby-san. Please let's not talk about that!" The marine cried again looking like a red alien. "Okay, then." Ruby looked at me and grinned slyly. "How about you, Zo-chan? Oh I'm sure the first chick you jammed up lost her mind and went to heaven."

It was my time to blush. I was rigid again like a statue, I sucked in my lips and my eyes widened. "Oho! Triggered ya' didn't it?" Ruby covered his lips and chuckled. "Ooh, look at that fine hard piece of muscular booty and such a meaty tanned body. Oh so perfect! I'd run my hands up and down that chest with a baby oil…" I just stared at him wide eyed, Tashigi didn't even said anything. There was a long pause. Holy shyeet. "**I'll murder you, you fuckin' okama!!" **I lost it and dove down to squeezed the dark transvestite neck and to finally end his useless life. "No, Roronoa, stop!" Tashigi cried but didn't touch me. "I'm sure all the chicks you slept with had an A-mazing time." Okama winked and I shook his head back and forth.

"Enough you, asshole!" I cried. Ruby grabbed my wrist and begged for me to stop while laughing and coughing at the same time. I let go of him and sat on the sofa without even moving. Ruby's words resounded on my ears. I took a glance at Tashigi and she too was hard as ice and still blushing like crazy. "Don't ever talk like that again!" I pointed at the okama. "Tash-Tash!" Ruby turned to the quiet swordswoman. "Oh, huh?" She suddenly woke up. "Jee, Tash-Tash. I didn't knew you can't handle a dity joke." "I'm- I'm okay." She stammered. She is so not okay. "Yer so cute!" Ruby pinched her red cheeks.

"Ruby, sweetheart!"

We all turned back and I was so shocked to see four okamas dressed in fancy glowing feathery costumes.. or are those costumes or their normal everyday clothing? "Aaah!" Ruby and the other okamas suddenly screamed and Ruby jumped off and they started glomping on one another while twirling round and round. They looked like those teenage girls when they meet. They started kissing eachother's cheeks and admiring eachother's clothes. Ruby turned back to me and Tashigi, an ear splitting grin on his heavily make up face. "Girls, these are me new found friends!" He started. "That's Tashigi-chan and this," He suddenly lunged down to hug me, my face turned sour. "Is my future husband." "Omigod?! Really!!" The okamas screamed. "Hell no." I replied and Ruby glared at me and stood up. "That's a one piece of hawt daddy y' got there, Ruby." One okama winked at me and I blushed.

"Anyhow, we were just wondering." The tallest okama looked at Tashigi, who seemed out of place. "Can we keep Ruby for the night?" "Yeah, like, we haven't met each other for, like, three years now." "Yeah, sure ofcourse!" Tashigi nodded. Ruby turned to her. "Really? Thank you!" He waved. "Okay. I'll see you two tomorrow, alright!" He waved again and they started walking away. "Bye, good night!" He turned to me and frowned. "Be nice, Zo-chan." And I was so ecstatic that they were gone. I sighed in relief and leaned on the sofa. Tashigi was looking after then still smiling. "I'm glad we got rid of him." I said and looked at the yellow juice. "Don't be like that, he's a really nice guy… girl!" She corrected. "Yeah well, he's gone now." I stared at her and smiled. "Maybe we should keep talking." She raised an eyebrow at me trying to process what I just said. "Wh- really? You wanna… you wanna talk to me?" That came out as a chuckle. "I actually just want to apologise for every bullshit I did to the marines.. although I don't think this will atone for everything." She shook her head and twirled the glass in front of her. "It's okay, Roronoa. You don't have to keep apologizing." Then she frowned at me. "Although you did acted like a jerk way back. A big jerk." She grinned and I grinned back too, nervously. "Yeah.. well, I'm a pirate."

"No, this is wrong." Tashigi suddenly interrupted and now, she was glaring at me. She suddenly stood up and walked towards me. What's she about to do? Is she gonna kill me? Fight me? "Oh.. right, yeah. I know." I shook my head and sat up straight. "This is.. this is just so wrong." I moved back from where I was sitting but then she dropped beside me and smiled. It was the first time she didn't act cold around me or shift uncomfortably. Tashigi suddenly opened her right hand between us. "Exaclty. We should introduce each other again, as if we've met for the first time." She showed all her white teeth when she smiled. I smiled to but bit my lower lip. I took her hand and slowly dropped it on the sofa. "Are you- are you serious?" I asked hysterically. She was being eccentric again. "Yeah, why not?" She cleared her throat and shook my hand. "Hi, my name is Tashigi. I am twenty-one years old and I am a marine… well, not at the moment." She paused and chuckled again. "It's a great pleasure to meet you…" She waited for my answer. "Oh, Zoro. Roronoa Zoro and I am nineteen years old and I am opposed to you. I'm a pirate but not for now."

I looked down at her thin arms and started examining it. "You have such a small hand." I said. "What? No, no way!" She argued running her fingers up and down her arm. I watched it as it lay on my large hand and then my mind reeled. This arm, so familiar. It was pale, thin and almost full of battle scars. My heart skipped a beat and my mind went numb. I quickly dropped her hand and sat back. "Zoro- Roronoa, what's wrong?" Tashigi asked frowning at me. I shook my head slowly and looked infront. "N-no, nothing." I answered. Shit, what are these… signs? Just as I changed my plan, I was about to change it again. I cocked my head to her side. The ring and now her arm. Slowly, things were trying to build up but I was in denial that… that she _is _the key to everything. I really need to ask her one way or another. "Oh dear." Tashigi stood up and I looked after her. "Look at the time. I really should go." I stood up after her. "You're leaving?" I asked. "Yeah, it's way past my bed time." Bed time? She has a curfew. Wow, what the hell is that? "Okay, can I… can I come with you? We are in the same apartment, anyway." I asked.

We walked out. The night was chilly and there were still people walking around. I looked at the forest and some parts of it were glowing in different colours such as blue-green, orange, purple and red. It was amazing, I've never seen anything like that before. Fireworks started exploding from the nearby islands and people were howling at the concert. "So you run laps, yeah?" I asked and watch her shiver from the cold. "How long have you been doing that?" "Since I turned into a marine." She answered. "I also lift weights.. but not those real heavy ones." I kept it at that. I kept quiet, the image of her arm lingers in my mind. I wanted to try just one thing, just one thing and see if it would be alright. "Hey, Tashigi." I took a deep breath. "Uhum." She hummed. "I want to ask you.. about you ring." She sighed heavily and how I wish I could read her mind. I looked at her dark head. "What about it?" Her voice was like a whisper. "I have one that looked the same," I took out my ring and handed it to her. "See?" We both stopped and she looked at it from her palm. Her mouth dropped open and her eyebrows curled up and if I were to think, to me she looked like she was about to cry. "My god.." Her voice trembles. "You.. you still have it." Then she looked up to me.

We stared at eachother and that's when I realized, it was the first time we've ever looked at eachother for such a long moment. Her eyes were really a deep tint of blue, so much like Kuina's. She looked down at it again and handed it to me. I took it and slipped it in my pocket. We started walking again. Everything was quiet when Ruby wasn't around and I was so glad. "You have one too, right?" I perpetuated. "Do you… know anything about it? I got it when I left the island.. remember the island-" "Yeah.. I remember perfectly well." She boomed. "I wanted to know why I got it." Tashigi looked at me again, her eyes yearning and searching. "You really don't… remember everything, do you?"

She left me hanging on that. "What should I remember?" Keep going, I want her to keep going and tell me what she knows but.. I found myself being so slow. "Nothing. You should not remember anything at all." Her voice became deep and she seemed angry. Tashigi started walking fast that I was almost catching up after her. I should have said something like a come back but I didn't… not again. I was afraid of the truth and about everything especially the way she said it, it sounded so… frightening. I was so close to the answers. So very close. We were both quiet up until we reached the apartment building. There were only few people by the lobby then we headed into the elevator without a sound at all. I let her in first then she pressed her floor number and I did after her.

"You're jogging tomorrow, right?" I asked when the door closed. "Yeah." "At what time?" "Five in the morning." "Five?!" Tashigi laughed. "Ofcourse, Zoro. That's why I called it my 'early morning' jog." I rubbed my temple. "Fine. Can I come?" Tashigi opened her mouth in surprise. "Really? You're gonna go jogging with me?" She blinked. "Don't kid like that." "I'm not.. I will." I have to. I have to change everything about myself for the sake of finding out. I will have to swallow everything and be a pretender. I have to slowly get close to her and earn her trust. "So five a.m. floor number twenty and room number?" "512." She answered. "512." I repeated and nodded. I started repeating the number again and again until the door opened for me to leave.

I stepped out but remember something I should say. So I stopped with my back on her and stood by the door way. I have a crazy thought and this will be such a slow and crazy process. The door closed on me. "Zoro!" Tashigi panicked and I turned around to look at her again, the doors went in to its corners. "Tashigi… I think we should be _friends_." I looked at her eyes. She pushed back her head. "Uhm.. huh?" "I know, I know it's sound really crazy but.. can we… maybe just up until we leave the island?" The door closed on me again and my body was squished slightly and the door opened back again. "Can I have the answer now?" I demanded. "I'm kinda' getting crushed here." I smiled. "Oh right! Yeah! Ofcourse, Zoro!" She woke up from whatever she was thinking. Tashigi was blinking so fast. "Definitely!" She answered nodding her head. "You can step out now before the elevator gets it's revenge on you for murdering one of it's kind!" We both laughed. "So what? We're friends now, right?" The door pressed on me again. "Yeah," Tashigi looked down. "I think.. I think being just friends are okay.."

* * *

**Coming up…**

_Don't make me believe that you can be more than just a friend, because at the end  
__of it aaall~… I don't want to hear you say…'I'm sorry, but… I never felt the same waaay~"_

I realized that there was something about our proximity that had made me relaxed or at least not jump every time she looked my way…


	6. When I hold you

**Author's note; **Hey guys! And oh! I'm sorry for my comment on the latest chapter. I didn't and wouldn't know some people would be reading. For me, the only way I would know that someone is reading is by the reviews. But that's okay if I don't get any. It's expected. So thanks again for the beautiful comments!

This is my fav chappy! One Piece belongs to the great Oda and hum... what can I say? I LOVE TRIBES! So stay tuned. Oh crap, I almost forgot! The 'song' is not actually a song but a poem I got in the internet. The author was anonymous but who ever he/she is, thank you for the perfect poem!

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**Chapter 6; 'When I hold you'**

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My eyes opened on their own accord after dreaming of falling. I took a deep breath and closed my drowsy eyes once again trying to moderately open them. I shifted from my position on the sofa and remembered the last night's events. I tried to comprehend what I said to the woman before we went our separate ways and slowly, my feelings smouldered. I remember now. Shit, I need to get up. I forced myself to get up, even calling myself a lazy motherfucker then I reached out for the clock I dropped to the floor. I tried to scrutinise my eyes to its focus. It was four forty-five in the morning, good, I still have time. I groaned and got up then while reaching out for my shirt, I headed into the bathroom.

Damn it, I'm still too drowsy. I knew I shouldn't have asked for her to 'jog' with me. Now, I can't break what I said, she'll be waiting for me then and that would just be... although I don't mind if people call me rude. I hate waking up early but anyway, since I am awake, why not just get over it. I started brushing my teeth and drowning my face into the cold water, that woke me up. I left the bathroom and took a proper jacket from the closet then I left. What's her- oh right, floor number twenty and room number five-one-two, got it. I pressed her floor number in the elevator's buttons and leaned my head on the wall. Damn, I'm so tired.

I felt like I drank three bottles of tequila, I felt shit faced. I shook my head and widely opened my eyes then took a deep breath. The door slid open after the bell rang softly. I'm in floor number twenty and now, I have to look for her room number. I found myself searching in the long narrow hallway with cream coloured door on each sides with dirty white walls. I started counting the doors and looking at their numbers. 501, 502, 503, I stepped back, nope, still a long way to go. I walked farther until I saw the door numbers stretching to 510 up until I saw her number. My heart started beating again when I walked towards it and stopped by the front. I lifted my fist to knock but then I stopped and dropped my hand.

I looked at the knob then at the number. "What am I doing here?" I asked myself probing for answers but I couldn't think of any. Suddenly, everything just... changed. What's the use? She probably doesn't want me around anyway, she'll definitely act all weird again like not breath and all that. I sighed and turned around heading back to the elevator until I heard her door opened and light streamed the dim hallway. I froze at her voice, "Roronoa?" I turned around and made a crap smile. "Morning!" I boomed and waved my hand. "Oh my god..." She whispered, covering her mouth. Tashigi stared at me with wide eyes. "You... actually came." Then she dropped her thin hand and shook her head. "I thought you'd nev- No, never mind." She stepped out and shut the door, locked. I noticed she had dark bags under her eyes, like a sign that she was up all night. Tashigi blinked numerous times then just like what I did then she opened them widely. I didn't want to look at her in the eyes but I knew she was looking at me. Tashigi walked past me and said, "Well, then, let's go."

I nodded after her and we both went in the elevator. She pressed the ground floor and stiffened beside me. We were both quiet and I found it so odd but at the same time, I was calm thinking that maybe I should always expect this to happen. It's really awkward to befriend the person you thought you hate. This is so wrong, a marine and pirate relationship. Damn, we're both in for a real trouble. The early morning sky was still dark when we left and with the southern constellation still floating with the moon. The place was cold and some people were already around, others were jogging too in pairs. Tashigi suddenly halted beside me and I stopped and looked at her stretch. "So, did you have a good night sleep?" She asked. I pretended to stretch. "Uhm..." I thought about it, honestly I didn't slept well last night, I woke up staring at the clock until one a.m.. I wanted to say,_ 'I was thinking about you the whole night. You and your odd little secrets.' _but that sounded so wrong. I'd never tell her that. I nodded and twisted my face and bent down to touch my toes without folding my knees. "Tch-yeah." I answered. "You?" I stood straight and reached for the heavens.

"Let's go!" Then she just jogged off and left me standing. Stupid woman! I ran after her at the same time begging myself not to lash at her. I started jogging beside her. Tashigi sighed heavily and if the monster inside me was to think, he'd think she hated my company. I thought so too. I stared down at her blue berry head from the corners of my eyes. "Why... did you decide to do this with me?" She huffed. I frowned, oh so now what she's being rude? "Not that I'm complaining." She said as if answering my remark. Her voice was sure, like she did mean it and that was something I couldn't figure out or ignore. I shrugged and looked to the front. "I don't know, I just... feel like doing this." I lied. My ears were cold and my hands froze too but the inside of my jacket was so hot. I could feel sweat running down from my arm pits. I wanted to take off the shirt but what the hell? I'll get a cold.

After fifty minutes of jogging, we situated our selves by a bench, Tashigi leaning against it while breathing frantically from her opened mouth. I smiled looking down at her, her face suddenly glowed into bright yellow. I noticed it was the reflection of the rising sun so I looked at where she was staring. It was beautiful, the giant life giving orb waking from the horizon turning the sky and the ocean red and orange. I sighed softly, finally warmth. I think there's something about this place that turns me into such a wuss, I mean I became such a pussy, then I always hear myself admiring everything. Damn, if cook hears me, I'm sure he'll fuckin' pull a joke.

"It's amazing, isn't it?" Tashigi interrupted my train of thoughts. I looked down at her and noticed that she was grinning idiotically at the floating islands. I couldn't help but join in and smile. "Yeah… I guess." "I can look at them forever, if I had a camera I'd be taking snapshots at them until the memory's full." Then she groaned. "Unluckily, I never had one even when I was young." "Ouch." I pretended to wince. "What a sad life you have." Tashigi blinked and looked at me with a blank face. I looked away and erased my rude smile. "Seriously, though," She shifted from her position. "Do you believe in aliens?" She asked and I frowned down at her. I shook my head and lifted the corner of my lip. "If I say I don't believe in God, would you still think I believe in aliens?" I tried to look serious.

She stood up and broke her eyes off me and grimaced. "Jeez, Roronoa. You don't have to take it too seriously." She turned her back. "It was just a joke." I looked down. "Maybe." I answered then stepped before her and stared in her eyes, no, to her eyebrows, I can't look at her in the eyes yet. I rolled my eyeballs and looked at the blinding sun. "Maybe I do believe in aliens." I sucked in my lips then took a deep breath and continued. "You seem like an alien to me." "You mean the marines?" She chuckled. "No, just you." My voice sounded like a whisper, I started walking and she came beside me. "Mm, you're also like an alien to me, Roronoa." Tashigi whispered back. "So hard to read. One time you show that you hate me, the next… you wish to be a friend of mine."

"I know, right?" "Unbelievable." I hung my head to cover my smile. "Well," I cleared my throat. "The feeling's mutual." What came out next was silence but she broke it off and started hopping then jogging. "Right, let's keep going!" When she started running, my eyes trailed down from her thighs down to her ankles. I frowned, she had a small tattoo just over the ball of her ankles. "What's up with that complicated blot of ink on your ankle?" I asked, moving away to keep looking at it. "Oh, that's a tattoo given to me by a tribe. Got sent in a tribal island, like, four months ago." I nodded. "I met five tribal groups. I love tribal people, except for the cannibal ones. I mean, I love their ways you know, they are, like, the most contented people in the world. Now, people are mistreating them, always shooing them away from their habitat. People nowadays love to pick on the weaker ones. We should respect them."

I was surprised, after aliens… this. Wow. I mean, damn. "It's really sad and sometimes, I feel guilty siding with the World Government." I looked at her and she looked dejected. "They sometimes do this… 'things' to indigenous people. Luckily, Smoker-san also agrees with what I feel." Then her face lit up and I was so disturbed. You have got to be fucking with me! Does she have feelings for that white gorilla? Seriously! She's too young for him. "Then quit." I rasped. She looked up to me. "I can't. How will I feed myself?" Tashigi huffed. "Be a pirate hunter." I suggested. She was quiet and I felt idiotic. Okay so maybe that wasn't too convincing. She was really different. She had a really soft and meaningful personality unlike me. I found out something new and different about her, she wasn't exactly what I thought she was… she was mundane yet at the same time, convincing.

I tried to understand how she sees the world in her eyes and I was brain washed. Tashigi seemed to treasure everything, the natives, the islands even the whole world. And not to mention, she has a crazy yet interesting imaginations, especially about aliens. I wouldn't compare her to a little girl but close to it. At least she can make up conversations unlike me. "I've met natives too." I answered trying to 'communicate'. "Really?" "Sure it's the fruit of our adventures." Silence. "I'm jealous of you, Roronoa." Her voice became deep. "What, 'cuz I'm a man?" I scoffed. "No.. well, yeah. But I know how it feels, trust me. No, I'm jealous because you can do whatever you want and you don't take orders from such high ranked people. You just enjoy life… although most of your 'kind' loves to plunder." "Ah! Stereotype and prejudice." I interrupted. "I am not! I'm just being… you know, realistic." "Sure." I cooed. "Oh hush!" She ran faster. "You're too immature!" "No, you're being immature. You are such a little girl!" I chuckled at her.

"Okay, hold on." She stopped and walked to a water vending machine. She pressed a couple of buttons and while waiting, I took off the jacket, wrapped it around my waist. I was still roasting so I took off my shirt too and started wiping my sweaty chest and under arms. Bah! Who cares about a naked man? I wiped my face then looked at Tashigi. She had a funny expression by her. Her face turned beet red and when she gave me a cold bottle of water, she was looking away from me. "Damn, Roronoa. You're flashing my view!" She grinned. Oh I get it. "What? You don't like a man's body?" I teased. "Shut up!" Then she slammed the bottle on my chest. I struggled to catch it while she was jogging away without me. She has such a short temper, it's kinda' humorous really.

I opened the bottle and started drinking, cold water trickling down to my chin then down under to my neck. I started panting. "So what, do you want a woman's body instead?" I joked. "No, Roronoa. I know what you're thinking. I'm a woman. A _real _woman." She pointed. That alarmed my mind, I looked around searching for the okama. "Shit. I should probably get a shirt. Okama might start drooling over me." "As if! Ruby's not gonna be around for today." I was surprised. So over dramatically surprised. "Really?" "He'- she's got a show. She told me from the den den she gave me." Then she looked and showed her full white teeth at me. "So you won't be seeing your 'girlfriend', Roronoa. How sad!" Then she made a crying face. "Shut your trap! I'm a straight! I've kissed a girl before." Then she made a full stop and stared at me wide eyed. "Y-you did?" Her voice was a whimper. What? Lie or not lie? "No…" I told the truth, embarrassed.

Oh shit. She is so going to laugh. Go ahead you nature loving idiot, laugh at me. But instead, Tashigi was looking down then slowly, her eyes looked at me. We stared at each other and I mouthed 'what?' then she continued walking again. Weirdo. And the voluble lady became quiet. The only thing I could hear from her was her breathing and the metallic zipper of her jacket hitting each other. I started to sweat again. We took a break again after another hour of jogging and started strolling instead.

"Aaah! Omigod!"

We looked to the side and slowly, my mind remembered those voices. I shot my head to the right and spotted… the Jail bait clan. Oh no. Bad timing for taking off my shirt. They ran towards us and less than a second, they flocked around me, Tashigi feeling left out at the back. "Hi, Zoro-san!" One girl giggled. "Oh my God! You're, like, so frikin' hot!" "I know!" Another girl looked at Tashigi. "Is that your girl friend?" She asked, lips twisted to the side. "What? No, no way!" I shook my head and peered at Tashigi who was looking away, waiting. Good, she didn't hear that. "You better not have a girl friend!" "Can I be your girl instead?" "Sorry?" I asked sourly. "Just kidding!" Tashigi's bright face took my attention. She was frowning but not looking annoyed, she gestured for me to go and I nodded. "Ladies, uhm, look. There's something I have to say." I started stepping back_. "I'm gay."_ Then I ran away pulling Tashigi's shirt but let go instantly.

She was grinning while shaking her head beside me. "That was rude, Roronoa. That's why you should keep your clothes on. You're attracting young teenagers… especially okamas. You should've made a better excuse." "Like what?" "I don't know." "See those? Those are called 'fans'. You got one? Don't think so." I teased again. "Shut up." She answered. "You jealous?" "Of what?" I thought about it. I was gonna say if she was jealous about those girls but I hesitated and kept quiet.

****  
We took our lunch together, still talking and learning from each other. I never thought I'd say it but I was liking her company, although, she would still act enigmatic. Sometimes she'd look away and shake her head like waking up from her day dream. "Let's go to my apartment." Tashigi offered. "For real?" I blinked. "Yeah, why not." She stared at my hands. "God kill me but, I kinda' trust you, Roronoa." That hit me. Tashigi trusted me and thought my friendship was authentic but the truth behind was painful to know. I was only doing this for my own selfish reasons. I shook my emotions and nodded. "Okay."

We left for her apartment room and by the time we got there, the smell was so different from mine, obviously. She ran to the radio and started pressing on some buttons. Then music started playing, same type of genre from what they were playing in the city. The lyrics came;

_Dooon't~ care so much for me, I may get used to it. Dooon't~ come so near me,  
__I may not be able to detach from it. Don't put so much faith in me, I may not be able  
__to handle it. Don't touch me the way you do, I may not be able to get over it. Don't become  
__a part of my life, 'cuz without you, I won't be able to live it…_

Her room had the same size as mine but with very different decorations. My eyes kept wondering around. The wallpaper was cream and she had a small chandelier and flowers were on the table. It had one bedroom, one kitchen and toilet. Her room was so clean, mine would probably look like a landfill site compared to this. "Damn." I whispered. "You hungry?" She asked and I looked at her, I noticed she got rid of her jacket and hanged it on a chair.

_Don't make me fall for you, I may not be able to fall out of it. Dooon't~ come into my life,  
i__f you have to leave one day. Dooon't~ give me the hope, that it's forever you're gonna  
__stay, 'cuz love is an emotion I won't be able to hide when love isn't reciprocated with love,  
__it huuurts~ deep down insiiide~! _

Her hair was in disarray, sticking at the sides of her head. She made it worse by brushing her hand on it. I shook my head and kept looking around. "This is my favourite place!" She squealed like a little girl and skipped to the large window and pushed off the thick red curtain. Sunlight beamed in the room and she slid open the glass window. I walked towards it and a warm breeze came in and it reminded me of my afternoon in the Thousand Sunny. I looked down and the view was amazing. "You can see the whole island here!" I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, it was bliss. Tashigi joined me and placed her hands on the windowsill. "It's beautiful."

_Don't start something, that I won't be able to end. Don't make me believe that you  
__can be more than just a friend, because at the end of it aaall~… I don't want to hear  
__you say…'I'm sorry, but… I never felt the same waaay~"_

I couldn't agree more. Slowly, the wind died down and I moved away from the window and went in her bed room without a care in the world. Tashigi moved too and followed me to her room. I kept looking around, her bed sheets were cleanly arranged and something took my attention from her nightstand. There was lying a red and yellow dried and flat flower. It wasn't as beautiful as a rose or some pretty bright coloured vegetation. I looked at her then walked towards the dead organism. I picked it up. It was a flower of a mountain vegetable and it looked so dead. I drew it before my nose and started sniffing on it, it still had some scent. I turned to look at Tashigi.

"Let me guess, this is just another one of your odd hobbies?" I grinned, staring at her from the flower. She gasped and strode to me and took the flower gently hiding it behind her. I raised an eyebrow. "Okay, defensive much?" "This… isn't a toy, Roronoa!" She growled quietly and we left her room. "I'm sorry. I thought it wasn't that imp-" "It's very important to me." Tashigi interrupted, her voice level. She walked to the window and sat by it looking down to the people. I stayed on my place, looking at her and to the dark forest on her background. "Very important." She shook her head and repeated the same words.

Her face looked troubled and her eyes looked anxious. It was getting dark. Tashigi soon recovered from her composure and turned to me again. "Do you fancy a _ramen_ for dinner? Get some shirt on first." At the end of our day, I realized that there was something about our proximity that had made me relaxed or at least not jump every time she looked my way…

**

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**

Coming up…

I thought back to that first day and how strange it had been to find myself with her. It was almost normal, like… like I've known her for such a long time

I bit my lower lip and slowly coiled my fingers around her left elbow. "I was just wondering, how can I make you smile?" Tashigi almost tripped but I luckily grab hold of her. "Jeez, will you watch where you're going?" I hissed. "Why would you want to make me smile?" She chuckled.


	7. In my arms

**Author's note; **Hola! Again, OP belongs to Mr. Oda and... this chapter focuses on where they are putting themselves into... is all. Holla

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**Chapter 7; 'In my arms'**

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The last night's events were still playing in my head even when I was standing the next day during the opening for the competition. I rubbed my eyes and yawned, I didn't got a good night sleep still though. I kept thinking about her but not in a melodramatic crappy romantic way, more like a curiosity type of thing. I marched into the crowed of enthusiastic and arrogant crowd now and again I would turn my head from side to side and to the back searching for the okama and the marine. Wow, we are such a dynamic trio. A pirate, a marine... and an okama. All my thoughts were put aside when the bald old fart climbed up to the stage again and started greeting everyone. He started talking about how he was so anxious and excited about this day that he couldn't sleep last night. Everyone laughed at his joke. I looked around once again and started walking back while scanning the area for the two idiots.

The man kept talking while I kept searching, people were looking at me then as usual, whispered at each other. Soon, I spotted Ruby's thick curly purple hair and beside him was Tashigi. Feeling a pang of envy, I wondered what they might be discussing, it was only because Tashigi would never laugh and smile like that when having a conversation with me. I envied the okama's humour. I shook my head, receding my negative thoughts and went to them. I looked at the old man again while bumping the back of my hand on Ruby's back. He turned then his face lit. "Zo-chan! Good morning!"

He puckered his lips and moved closer to me but I side stepped and avoided his assault. Tashigi stared up at me and she seemed to... swell? No her face turned red. I frowned but then nodded at her for greeting. She nodded back, cleared her throat and stared at the talking bald man. "So, what time are they gonna open it? He's been talking for about fifteen minutes now." I started bending my upper body to her side. "I don't know." Her answer was slow but simple then what came after was a heavy wavering sigh. Ruby muttered cursed beside me and started whispering trash talks but I paid him no mind and finally! The old man came down from the stage and walked to large thick dark grey gate by the side of the stage.

It was one of those cliché looking gates with those 'scary' dinosaur bird statues on each side glaring at the people. He talked on the microphone then a bunch of staff came and unlocked the gate. They had to push open the thick bars that blocked the gate. I heard them grunt then the three bars fell on the dirt with a 'boom'. Metal rubbing on metal squealed when the gate suddenly opened by themselves then people started to cheer. Hypnotic music started to play and then colourful fireworks exploded into the sky one after another. The large birds were screaming.

The mob of competitors started to rush into the unknown forest recklessly. A bunch of idiots, its as if they know where the key is. To put them aside, Ruby, Tashigi and I stayed on our place watching some people ran and yell at each other. "If I knew that gate was going to lead us out to the forest I would've busted my ass in." "Oh but they have this large guns on the fences you know that shoots everything that trespasses. Even those flying birds if they are mistaken." Ruby answered. "Really? Can they do that?" Tashigi gasped. "They just did." Ruby shrugged. We started walking in to the gate and to the dark forest. "Still, I can destroy those objects even from afar." "But would the Roronoa Zoro survive the 'creatures' inside the forest?" Ruby started once again and I took the bait.

I looked around the forest. "What have you people been talking about? Every time I talk to a staff they always say 'something' is lurking in the forest." I looked at him. "What does that mean? What are they saying?" I asked again. Ruby poked the tip of my nose. "Patience, my love." He cooed and I drew back my face. "The forest is amazing at night! Very, very beautiful! It's like something you noobs have never seen before-" "Just get to it, okama." I growled. Ruby was still smiling and his palms were glued to his face. He ran to the front. "See those round bladder looking pods? Those icky-looking-hanging-eggs that's wrapped around some kinda' disgusting sticky plastics?" He pointed up to the thick black canopies. Tashigi and I looked up and spotted what he was talking about. I squinted my eyes. "Those organisms, glows at night, it's something about their enzymes and such. Blah! I don't know. They have different colours and because of them, the forest doesn't need any lamps." He dropped his head to look at us. He wiggled his eyebrows. "Pretty amazing, huh?" "Indeed." Tashigi answered.

"And also, surprisingly, the moon shines very bright in this forest. Nobody really knows why." Ruby squinted his eyes trying to spook us but I rolled my eyes although I was quite taken by his knowledge. "But even though the forest seems unique and interesting, it's a living trap. There are booby traps everywhere made by the savages. "What do you mean by savages?" Tashigi interrupted. Ruby lifted a hand on her face. "Don't interrupt, Tash-Tash." He arrogantly answered and the marine apologized. "So as I was saying, we shouldn't hunt during at night unless you think you're too much of a God to go berserk 'round here." He grinned at me. "Do not eat any random fruit and vegetables that looks edible because most of them are poisonous. Eat the ones that doesn't look edible at all, that doesn't look anything like something to eat at all! Trust me."

"Then how are we supp-" "We shouldn't go to the high levelled threat part of the forest because _no one _comes out alive." When Tashigi interrupted, Ruby spoke before her again and when he said 'no one' he made an evil ugly grin. He turned his back towards us and we walked after him while he kept talking like he was a guide. "Do not stand too close to the trees, you don't know what's standing with you, especially the large ones. Some people say the trees have magical powers and all that shit. I don't think so. No one has ever gone into the high threat level as far as I know." Ruby stopped and we almost bumped into him, he turned around and folded his arms against his chest. "We should always stay close to the inn, people gets lost easily because as you can see, everything looks so much alike. Any questions?"

"So how are we going to find the key? I mean it's all so impossible." Tashigi reasoned. Ruby just shrugged. "That's the whole purpose of this competition." I stared at him in wonder. "That's why people should be very strong when going to the high threat level and they should expect the unexpected. I mean they should expect that the key is there, or not." "But this is crazy. How are we to know? We have no clues, no maps, whatsoever." Tashigi cried huffing. "So do we just search?" She continued trying to stay calm. Ruby nodded. "We search like we're searching for a needle in a hay stack." I smiled. Even though for some people all these seemed so confusing and frustrating, I thought not. I was actually pumped.

I found it nerve tingling. Finally, some real challenge. Wait till I tell the others about these. Luffy will be so jealous. I kept smiling like a candy crazed kid although not showing it too much. I stared at the odd black trunks and branches of the tree. It was so different, the trunks and branches were black but not the leaves. The leaves looked ordinary. I switched my gaze to the vegetations under the canopies and they all seemed like normal bushes and such. "Stop, smiling, Roronoa." Tashigi suddenly hissed beside me. I looked down at her and started to perform a grin. "What?" She was not looking at me, she looked troubled and her eyes looked anxious. She shook her head and sighed heavily. "Just don't. I don't like it." I opened my mouth to answer back but Ruby interrupted. "Oh and watch out for the other competitors." He glared at a nearby girl who glared back at him. "They can surprise attack us, so be careful."

I twisted my lower lip and raised an eyebrow at him. "How the hell did you survive?" I asked. Ruby turned to me and winked. "With my charms of course." Ugh. You gotta' be kidding. I recovered my composure and cleared my throat. "Well, we should probably start searching too." Like always, I examined my surroundings. Looking at the people around me, searching for some plausible enemies. The trees were not only black and wide, but they were so tall, they seemed to reach the heavens. I kept looking up and noticing that the trees were so tall, mist already covered their peak. There weren't much light reaching the depth of the forest, there was only a dim blue light. On each branches, the 'glowing' pods were all hanging in different sizes. In the dark parts of the forest, some bladder pods were already glowing, most that I saw were yellow and orange.

And there were so many flying bugs and while I was slapping them off my head and face, I noticed the carvings on one medium sized tree. I walked close to it and touched the carvings. Probably carved with a knife, the characters were like alphabets I have never seen before. "Ah, yes." Ruby came beside me. "Those are warnings. See those, Zo-chan?" Ruby stepped back and I looked at him and to where he was pointing. There were large white coloured wooden statues of some kind of a large man. It was stout and was wearing a mask. He had a tall staff on one hand and he looked like a monster. "That was made by the savages to ward off trespassers and outsiders." "Outsiders? Does that mean us?" Tashigi joined in. Ruby nodded. "Yeah, but see?" He opened his arms. "People have already trespassed. I mean look at all those." He pointed to the nearby inns and small restaurants. "They've already built all those and they've already made money."

"I wouldn't waste my time searching for the key around here tho." Ruby said. I frowned at him indiscernibly. "I'd rather go to the centre of the whole forest or even in the tribe village. It's very dangerous, I know. I highly think that the tribe people have the key. After all, they were the ones who made the sword." He grinned evilly at us again, trying to scare us. "That's right. The tribe in the forest are the Ungara Tey." "No." Tashigi gasped. "There are only ten inns and five restaurants and all of these are of course, can only reach in the moderate threat level of the jungle. I know some of these morons went to the high threat level two years ago and they never came back. Probably dead." He suddenly glued on my left arm and I tried to push him away. "That's why I sided with Zo-chan." He grinned up to me. "'Cuz I know he's supper strong!"

I paused and stared down at him, a smirk snaking its way to my face. "So, you're only using me then?" "Oh I won't call it that, Zo-chan." Ruby rested his head on my bicep. "That's too… inhumane." He let go and planted his hands on his hips. "I don't _trust _you, okama." I hissed. Ruby just looked away and shrugged. "Suit yourself." He started playing with his nails. "I think I'm your only survival guide." "Yeah, I think we should side with, Ruby-san." Tashigi stepped in and dropped her hand on Ruby's shoulder. Ruby hugged her. "Thank you, Tash-Tash!" I sighed. "Then we should make a plan." We situated ourselves behind a large tree and sat on its protruding black roots. Ruby was suspiciously looking around for some possible snitches. "Right, so we need to travel to the high threat level of the forest but before going there, we need to gather supplies from the last inn or restaurant, whatever." I started. "We should make sure that no one's following us and if there are, are we'll beat the hell out of them. I mean they're enemies." "Yes, we need to be safe and we need to stick together." Ruby interrupted and kept looking around. "We need to fight for our survival!" He shot up and tossed his fist over his head. "The battle is on!" He yelled like crazy over hyped geek.

With that I remembered Luffy and his never ending enthusiasm. We were always so reckless and damn, I miss them. Now I'm with these two idiots. "We should never get lost!" Ruby continued. "But we have no map or a compass." Tashigi said. "Do not fret, my highly naïve friend. I know what to do." The infallible okama answered arrogantly. "But what if one of us gets the sword?" It was my turn to ask. Ruby shrugged. "Then one of us gets it." "We have to fight for it." I pointed out. "Ruby-san, have you met this tribe?" "No! No way!" Ruby shook both his hands in front. "I haven't seen this people. They'll kill me. They kill every outsiders." "Well, maybe we just need to reason with them. Not everything can be done with violence you know." Tashigi fought and she looked sad. "Have you lost your mind!?" Ruby dropped both his hands on Tashigi's shoulders, so much that she groaned at the pressure. "These people have not left their tribe and have never gone down to the real world." Ruby yelled. "But maybe they only want their sword back."

"Would you give a sword made up of pure gold?" I asked, she looked at me then she looked down. "If it's the right thing then I don't know… maybe." "Look around." I gestured. "Do all these people look like they'd think about the 'right thing'? I don't think so, especially not on this age. We're all hunters here." "Or the hunted." Ruby said, I stared at him, another question slowly rising up. "How do these people look like?" "Maybe you should see for yourself." Was his answer. "When is that?" "When you're lucky they won't kill you before you can even land your eyes on them. These people doesn't want anyone to see them. They will kill you once you see them. They'll definitely kill you." "Damn."

Ruby grimaced then clutched on his belly. "Ugh! I need to pee. Wait here for me alright!" Then he ran off to… I don't know really. Where would he piss? In the women's toilet or to the men's? It was then just me and Tashigi. I smiled and turned to her. I pretended to sniff. "Ooh. I smell fear in the air." She turned her head to me and I moved back. "I am not." She scoffed. "Sure." I sneezed then sniffed. "By the way, I dreamt of aliens last night." I lied. Tashigi turned her full attention to me. I looked at her now large blue eyes and she was so eager. "Really? I always dream about aliens taking over the world. God, what if that would happen. They said some dreams can come true." She pressed her fingers to her lips.

"What and how was your dream?" She asked. I cleared my throat and looked to the front. "It was horrible." I scratched my rib. "All the aliens looked like you." I grinned then raised an eyebrow at her. She slapped my arm then started to sulk. "Whatever. You're mocking me." "What? You don't believe me?" I chuckled then pressed my lips together. "Then you should force yourself to dream about… a mob of alien Roronoas. Then for you, that would be a killing spree. Isn't that amazing?" "That would be the worst nightmare I'd have. I'll probably die before I can tell you what happened." I snorted. "Yeah very funny, little girl." "Little? Look who's talking." She glared at me. "I'm way older than you." "But I'm more matured." "Really?" She placed her hands akimbo. "Last time I remembered you burped so loud last night after we had ramen. Does that how they call 'matured' now," She smirked slyly. "Junior?" Tashigi added.

I grimaced darkly at her. "At least I don't collect dead flowers." She became quite and rigid like the first time we met. I sighed. "'Kay, I'm sorry." I apologised but she ignored me. "You know you really should tell people your problems… people like, like me!" I poked my chest with my thumb. "People who doesn't share their problems commit suicide. Did you know?" "I'm perfectly sane, Roronoa. And I think you're the wrong person I can tell my problems to." "I thought you trusted me." "I did? Oh sorry, I forgot. How about you, would you tell me your problems?" I shook my head. "You can't solve _any _of my problems." "See?" I thought about it. She can actually help me, in fact, she's the answers to my problems. Damn, when will I ever ask.

We both became quiet and I stared at the searching competitors. It was like one of those 'find' games, like an Easter egg competition. They all looked so childish. Slowly, I turned my head to Tashigi's blue head and smiled. I thought back to that first day and how strange it had been to find myself with her. It was almost normal, like… like I've known her for such a long time. Like she was… _Kuina. _It was just a matter of time until my emotions took flight. I pinched the bridge of my nose and shut my eyes tightly. I was so stressed at the prospect of it. I'm thinking too much, I shouldn't be doing this.

*****

After Ruby finished his essential ritual, we made our way deeper and deeper into the depths of the forest. Although it seemed to me like we have been walking miles, there were still people around and we almost even witnessed a fight. But our main objective was to get to the last inn and gather supplies so we can begin our search. Yet it was getting dark before we knew it, or maybe it was just the darkness of the forest enveloping us whole. The bladder pods slowly glowing, fireflies dancing beside them. Who knows, maybe in the city it's still not dark. I can't really figure out. The forest seemed naturally dark.

"I'm tired." Ruby huffed and leaned against a tree trunk. "Yo, watch it, someone of your kind might grab you there." I teased. "Not very funny, Zo-chan." He shook his head. "There's a restaurant and inn a few meters away. It's getting dark, we should probably get some rest and continue the next day." He stood straight again and we began walking.

Ruby was walking before me and Tashigi. I bit my lower lip and slowly coiled my fingers around her left elbow. She shuddered at my presence and she turned to me. "What?" She asked, her voice trembling. "I was just wondering, how can I make you smile?" Tashigi almost tripped but I luckily grab hold of her. "Jeez, will you watch where you're going?" I hissed. "Why would you want to make me smile?" She chuckled. Feeling idiotic, I let go of her and tried to remain calm, but my heart was not. I didn't know why exactly. "It's 'cuz for me, sometimes you look lonely, like you're so troubled." I made a face at her. "You look like crap." I tapped her head. "I don't like it." "You're probably mocking me again. Just give it a rest, Roronoa." She shook her head but even so, she can't hide away that shy smile from me.

"Would you just call me Zoro? I hate it when you always call me Roronoa. I feel like I'm talking to a teacher or something." "Fine." She took a deep breath. I looked up to the pods and to the fire flies. It was beautiful, like the sun and the stars. "_Zoro_…" She whispered into the darkness and my spine tingled…

* * *

**Coming up…**

All I felt was joy, I didn't care what I was doing anymore or how I felt like another idiot. Tashigi took a deep breath, I looked to the front. "Are you happy?" The oxygen stayed trapped in my lungs. "Yes." I agreed then closed my mouth for a simple smile, I stared back at her. "Are you?" I asked.

Tashigi cast her eyes on my lips again. "Yes. Very happy."


	8. I think about

**Author's note; **No author's note, just that OP belongs to . The odd language is made up. Is all. Holla!

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**Chapter 8; 'I think about'**

* * *

After we had dinner, we went in the third inn we saw that evening. Tashigi and I sat on the wooden sofa in the lobby while Ruby signed us in. Some workers marvelled at the okama's presence repeating the rather grateful compliments thrown at him while he posed at them. A lot of people checked in the inn until they ran out of the large rooms and we were only blessed by medium sized ones. "Oh I really didn't care anymore." Ruby said when we reached our room in the first floor. "As long as I'm with Zo-chan I will always be in bliss." And as always, I just shook off all his disgusting flirts.

I noticed how every since we travelled the thickly dense forest, Tashigi has been so quiet. Yet I always witness her hiding a smile. I wonder why. The room was larger than my room back in the small city. It contained a bed room with two large beds, a toilet and a living room. I collapsed on the bed like sofa and sighed heavily while Ruby went into the toilet saying he needed a hot bath. Tashigi and I were left again and I looked at how her eyes started wondering everywhere until they stopped at the vision of the only window. She strode towards it and opened the curtains and yet, I heard her groan in disappointment.

Outside, everything was jet black, the sky was covered by the large tall trees. I guess there will be no star gazing tonight. I smiled and closed my eyes while lifting my hands up under my head. "How sad, you won't be able to connect with your extraterrestrial buddies tonight." I teased. "Yeah well," She replied. "At least those are pretty." I opened my eyes to see what she was talking about and she was pointing at those glowing orange and yellow bladders hanging from the canopies, fire flies revolving around them. She turned around and sat at the other single sofa and started flipping through some magazines under the table.

I stared at her twisted face, like she was trying to read a different new word. I stared hard at her until I groaned and closed my eyes again. "Stop looking like that." I murmured. "Looking like what?" She asked. "Like... like that." I lazily opened my eyes and nodded at her face. "This is not a look, Zoro. This is my face." Tashigi shook her head and flipped another glossy page. "Weirdo." She snorted. I sat up straight, took off my shirt and went into the bed room and took a black tank top from the closet. I headed back to the sofa and this time, I lay myself on the hard wood. "Alright, see you in the morning. I'm gonna call it a day." I crossed my arms against my chest and closed my tired eyes. "Good night." I mumbled.

"Wait you're not gonna take a shower?" She asked. I took a deep breath and sighed my reply. "I'm a man. I don't need all those. Who cares anyway?" I shifted from my position turning my head to the darkness and fell into a dreamless sleep.

****

".. ro.. p!"

In my dream, I heard some whispers, odd whispers. I growled and toss myself to the side and shook my head. I heard the hazy whispers again and slowly opened my eyes. Everything was so dark I couldn't see my hands when I move them in front of me, it was eerie. I felt like I was blind. I'm too tired, I need some rest. "... waked up." Again with the whispers but this time, it didn't felt like a dream anymore, someone was shaking me softly. "Zoro... wake up." And the whisper was so soft and so near to my ear that that someone was blowing warm breath against my left face. My eyes shot open once again, my heart rate increasing when the whisper sounded to me like a moan. I breathed through my mouth and I didn't felt drowsy anymore. My 'fourth' sword awoke and quickly, I pushed one hand between my legs. 'Down boy! Down!' I warned.

I shuddered and sat up straight. There was a faint light coming from the window and in font of me, someone was kneeling on the floor. I couldn't picture out the image but I could see the figure. Slowly and with caution, I reached out to that figure until my finger tips landed on some hair. I pulled my hand back. That person chuckled. "Ssh, Zoro, it's just me." Soon, it became clear to me who the person was. She giggled, Tashigi giggled. I gasped and gagged at my own saliva. I threw my legs to the side and drop them to the floor, Tashigi stood up then bent forward to me. I could only see her silhouette.

I rubbed my face. "What?" I whispered after hearing snores from the bed room. Tashigi suddenly grabbed my right arm and pulled me forward to make me stand up. I could feel her emotions. She was jumpy, she was excited. "Come with me. There's something I want to show you." And with that, I know she was grinning. "Hehe!" She chuckled and the excitement in the air engorged me. "Let's go!" She pulled me out to... I don't know. I couldn't see where we were going and in exchange, we both bumped in some furniture hissed curses and laughter. "Sorry!" She apologized and found the door. Light streamed in the room when the door opened and she pulled me out, I closed the door slowly.

My eyes adjusted from the strong light so I blinked a couple of times. Tashigi started chuckling and she pulled me again, we started to jog. We left the hallway and we reached the lobby then the exit. Some people were still up, mostly the staffs. Soon, I was aware at our contact and my heart jumped once again. Dammit. She was holding me as if it was nothing, like the most natural thing in the world. No, Zoro, focus. I shook my head and started running beside her. She was taking me away, away from the inn, away from the civilisation. Hold on, what if this is her strategic attack to me. What if her marine buddies are at the end of wherever she's taking me? Damn. Then I need to get ready. Then again I don't think she's that type of person. She's an idiot, a pansy, a little girl who's trapped in her own little fantasy world. Let's just see what she's got for me.

She brought me far away into the unknown. I looked back and the light of the inn and the neighbouring restaurant was becoming thin. I turned my head to the front only to be slapped by an unseen twig. I cursed and rasped. Our only source of light were from the fire flies and those glowing pods which weren't helping much because they were too dim. I remembered Ruby's warn and I pulled Tashigi's arm but we didn't stop running. "Where are you taking me?" I whispered hoarsely. "You'll love it! I woke Ruby-san but she said she's already saw it." She answered. "So I planned to take you." I slapped away twigs. "We're going too far! I'm warning you, I'm not a very good navigator." "Calm down, Roronoa. We're almost there." She grinned back at me and pulled my wrist even stronger.

I almost tripped when my foot got stuck on a fucking root but she caught me and instead of feeling sorry, she laughed and pulled me up. I growled, it was just a matter of time for my frustrations to take flight. Tashigi dragged me on a not so steep slope, she let go of my hand and I started holding on some roots to pull myself up and even breaking some vegetations. Tashigi, in front of me, pushed away a branch of a thick bush and she waited for me to reach the top. I stared in her eyes then hold on the branch. She looked forward and when I pulled myself off the bush, I found us standing in front of a lake. I dropped my mouth open.

It was a small lake, not so big with a few boulders sticking out from the shore. That wasn't it. The branches of the trees at the sides were so full of those glowing multicoloured pods and the fire flies were floating over us, dancing like little glowing fairies. My eyes was wandering everywhere, I didn't know which to look at first. Just like Ruby said, the moon was shinning so bright and it was so big. It was so clear in the night sky, so big and dominating. The dark waters seemed to me like glowing too as it reflected the multicoloured lights over it. Everywhere was glowing and as far as I know, this was the brightest part of the forest. I marvelled at the beauty. I smiled and Tashigi chuckled beside me.

"Amazing isn't it?" She asked and I nodded. Beside me were short young trees and even on the branches were hanging those glowing pods. They looked like little houses of the fireflies. A swarm of those glowing bugs started floating in front of us, some landed on my face and I slapped one from my arm and waved my hands to the front to shoo them away. But when I did so, I received a slap on the head by Tashigi. "Ah!" I growled, rubbing my temple. "That's insect cruelty! Stop it!" She growled. "Just stay put." And I did what she told me. They all swarmed about me, landing on every part of my body. "Ah! Look! They're on my arm!" The marine squealed and I looked at her, but when I moved, all the insects flew away.

"Damn. I want to take a picture." I grinned. "I really should show this off to the others." I stared at my companion and her happiness was so clear, she was in pure bliss. Like a candy crazed kid. "I haven't seen things like these before." She said. "I'm so happy I got here and witnessed all these. I'm so happy I saw these with-" And right there she stopped and looked at me. I blinked away and turned to a nearby hanging pod. Out of curiosity, I poked it and it swung from side to side and it was buzzing! I was taken aback. "Whoa." I marvelled and touched it softly. I could feel... things, buzzing inside with life so I kept my hand under the bottom of the sticky pod. I could feel them, squirming around the thin cellophane like organism. Tashigi stepped beside me still smiling and placed her hand under the pod too, touching mine.

Slowly, I pulled my hand back slightly so our fingers would not touch. I stared at her face and the yellow light reflected on her, her eyes glittering. She gasped then chuckled. "Amazing." She dropped her hand but her eyes started examining the neighbouring pods. "They're the baby worms of the fireflies and even though they are still young, they are already glowing." She told me. "These bags are recyclable." Tashigi turned to me. "Can you believe it? These creatures also share them. I don't know," She touched a leaf green pod. "I'd say these are seventy years old. They are such unselfish little critters." I squeezed the bag softly then went to the shore and bent down to wash my hand sticky hand.

Tashigi came beside me again washing her hand too, then I turned my head to her side only to be taken aback when our face were so close. Her smile faded, her eyes were not looking at me but down to my mouth. She pulled away and smiled and looked into my eyes again. All I felt was joy, I didn't care what I was doing anymore or how I felt like another idiot. I was just so… happy. My grin widened and again, I remembered my captain. Tashigi took a deep breath, I looked to the front. "Are you happy?" The oxygen stayed trapped in my lungs. "Yes." I agreed then closed my mouth for a simple smile, I stared back at her. "Are you?" I asked. Tashigi cast her eyes on my lips again. "Yes. _Very_ happy."

Time seemed to stop but the short cliché moment ended with a snap of a twig. My ear twitched and quickly, I shot my head back, one hand on the hilt of Shuusui. Tashigi crouched beside me was also holding her sword, also searching the darkness. "Something's coming." I whispered. Then I heard them, moving about the dark habitat, my senses told me there were many. I looked around, Tashigi and I were standing too close to the lights. I grabbed her thin arm and dragged her to the darkness making sure I won't make too much noises. I kept dragging her until with the help of the dim light I spotted a potential hide away. Before I did my plan, I touched the trunk for any enemies and luckily, there was no one. I pushed Tashigi in between two wall like giant roots and heard her grunt when her back slammed on the trunk.

I heard voices and I pushed my body against the woman closer, pressing her chest against mine and making her step back. My hands wound their way on each sides of her, the noises kept coming. Noises like they were slithering through the fallen leaves on the ground, like they were so cunning. The noises grew and I had to step forward, crushing Tashigi's lithe body on mine again. She screeched and I had to push my right hand on her mouth. I hated myself for being such a reckless idiot. I should have just covered her with my back against her chest because-

_"Wurak iv'oort kurohui ha'omae'a boa'rid kirreh…" _The hunters were speaking in such odd languages which I didn't caught many. I took a deep breath while feeling Tashigi's warm breath on the skin on my palm. The people in the dark perpetuated, _"Ikalah! Teagohor'eal hok oe'oe lakxi mukra!" _One person was hissing now. I frowned, so frustrated at the fact that I could not understood what they were saying. Slowly, I buried the tip of my nose and mouth in Tashigi's hair. Quickly, I pulled back my head, feeling idiotic and landed it just beside her temple. Then she hummed. I gnashed my teeth and pressed my hand harder on her mouth. "Be quiet." I whispered beside her ear and I was almost nuzzling her. _"Tseh! Siveplokai? R'gaari kiakoh." "Ite. Rafk. Zawe, ewewoi kitan." _

I was in the verge of jumping out and attacking the natives by surprise, but I knew it was being reckless and irresponsible. I would be endangering the life of the person with me. The natives started walking, this time shuffling their foot against the ground and I had to stepped forward once more into Tashigi's proximity. And that's when I felt it, a soft small lump by her… chest. I caught my breath just at the tip of my lungs. I gasped but covered my mouth as soon as possible. I groaned against her when my heart started beating so fast. Shit, is she going to feel it against hers too? The natives went closer to our hideout and I took a deep silent breath until Tashigi snaked both her arms around my torso. I gasped huskily when she hugged me so tight even pressing my body tightly against her. I stopped breathing and I lifted my head up.

Her head started to squirm against my palm then the next thing I felt, were her moist breath on the curve of my neck. I swallowed so hard it hurts. "Zoro.." She whispered. I lowered my head down to her shoulder. "Sssh." I warned and ended up gagging. The natives kept speaking while my heart kept beating so fast I thought I would get a heart attack soon. And mostly, I hated myself for being a pervert. I was _turned on _at the feeling of a woman's breasts. My manhood swelling. Damn. Shit. Fuck. This is wrong Why the hell does she have to hug me!? That was meaningless! Why did I have to press my chest against hers? I could have done the opposite. And why am I still here? I'd rather step out and fight the savages.

_"Mekenai tah." _And that was the end of it. Soon, they started walking away, their footsteps winding down later by later. When I knew it was safe, I stepped back but the arm around me kept me on place. I grunted but my grunt turned into a whimper. "No, Zoro. Don't." I felt her lips caress my neck and I bit my tongue so hard. Tashigi moved her head to the right. "They could still be around." She's right, they could still be here. But I could no longer bring myself pressed against her for another more minutes. Because… as hard as it seemed to be believable, I _liked _how my body was so deliciously pressed on the warm soft body of the opposite sex. I closed my eyes and hung my head while still biting on my tongue.

We stayed like we are for I think some minutes when she suddenly took a deep breath, dropped her hands from my body and pushed me slightly back. It was without warning. I didn't saw it coming but I guess… that was inevitable. I could hear her gasping like crazy and if she was breathing like this awhile ago, we both would have been dead. She was panting like she had been running. I quickly grabbed on the hilt of my swords, waiting for any attackers but luckily, there was none. I relaxed, letting the sword go and started scrutinizing my eyes, searching.

"I-I'm so.. s-so sorry." Tashigi panted and I looked at her dark figure. And just like that, the short and faint fairytale of the night ended. There were no more feelings. No more emotions. Only disgust. The coldness of the forest engorged me and I have almost forgot about the temperature drop and I was suddenly confused. Very confused. We both kept quiet. "We should go back."

****

When we reached the inn, Tashigi broke the silence and started apologizing again but kept on stuttering. "I.." She took a trembling breath, running a hand on her face. "I'm so sorry, Roronoa. I was being such an idiot again. You're right. I'm such a little girl." She hissed, slamming a fist on her thigh. "Not caring about anything at all but only my ignorant imaginations and ridiculous happiness." She sighed and whispered. "I was not thinking." I looked at her, her face so clear at the bright lights of the ceiling of the lobby. She was looking so sad and I wonder about the thoughts in her head. "I should have thought of the consequences. Uhn! I'm so stupid! I forgot about Ruby's warning. I can't be trusted with any body!" Tashigi paused once again and I looked away, keeping my mouth shut. "I almost forgot we are enemies."

That was the time to act. I opened my mouth and said, "Then what is this remorse? What is this hatred of yourself?" I turned my attention fully to her. She stared dark frustrated eyes back at me while I remained emotionless. I looked on the cream marble floor. "If… we are enemies, then why do you apologise for putting my life in danger?" She didn't said anything, in return, we stared at each other. But as the shy person that she was, she did not hold my gaze but looked down and sighed heavily. "I don't… want any of my friends to be in danger. Especially people that are important to me." She scratched her forehead.

My facial expression came back and I turned my body fully to her. "Am I… _important_?" I quoted the word. Silence. All I wanted for now was her real answer. We both came into a full stop. She cast her sad eyes from the ground to me, then she lifted a hand and dropped it over my shoulder and looked at my chest. "Yes. You are important to me now." And another pause while she hung her head but then shook it and frowned at me. "Like a _little brother_." I kept staring at her deep dark eyes, she looked lonely. Like it was so hard for her to say those words.

It was time for me to look down. "It's all over." I rolled my eyes. "We both end up alive to see another day."

* * *

**Coming up…**

My eyes widened and my mouth hang open. I quickly covered my nose and mouth and turned away. "What  
are you wearing, idiot!" I mumbled against my palm. Tashigi was wearing a revealing cloth. "Oh God!" I slammed my  
foot on the ground closing my eyes.

Her breasts weren't even as big as Nami's or Robin's. They didn't even half them, not even close. Hers were like small oranges while Nami and Robin's were like melons. So different. But how come… how come I'm becoming so perverted?


	9. Better days and

**Author's note; **So this is like a filler, 'kay? And as always, OP will be Mr. Oda's always. Oh and thanks fer all the lovely comments. (Anybody notice the chapter titles yet??

* * *

**Chapter 9; 'Better days and' **

* * *

Last night, I dreamt of another body on mine. It was from a lithe female and I dreamt that if I wrap my arms around her, I would break her spine and that would be the end of her. It was so real, not only could I feel her chest and flat stomach on mine but also the warmth of her body. I opened my eyes. Her body felt so familiar especially the way she wrapped her arms around me it was like she's done that already. I don't know, maybe I'm going crazy but, another part of me told me that what she did was… okay. Yet no matter how many times I trick myself that it was a dream, it wasn't. I knew it was real. Everything about what happened last night was real.

If it wasn't… I don't know how to react. I think it would have been better if it wasn't. Then again, I would never hate any thing that made me smile, that made me so ridiculously happy. I wanted it to be more than a fact than a fiction. I caught myself staring into space again while waiting for Ruby and Tashigi from the lobby. People walked past, some snickering and stealing glances at me. They then came out from the kerb, Ruby covering his red glossy lips with a hand while yawning, Tashigi rubbing her face while her hair covered it whole while carrying a backpack behind her. I waited for her and she looked up and saw me. She smiled and I nodded. "Oh God, I'm so sleepy!" Ruby whined.

We stepped out of the inn and by the time my right foot hit the ground, I sensed something was coming my way. Something hard and fast. I rolled my eyes to the left and tried to evade the blurry attack, but it hit me by the side of my body. My body tossed and twisted while I clenched my teeth and not sooner tasted the coppery taste of my blood. Beside me rolled a gray mossy boulder "Zo-chan!" Ruby yelled. "Fuck." And so my day starts again. I think I'm being cursed, it's like when I start doing something, my first day is always full of bad luck. I stood up shaking my head to clear my mind and wiped off dirt from the left part of my face and spat out some soil. I reached out for my two swords and unsheathed them.

I turned to my side and once again more objects were coming towards me, only that these two were common and set me in a fighting mode. Two dagger like swords rushing to me and with just one effortless swing of my Sandai, they both flew away. But then, I realized they didn't flew away, they deflected my blow and rushed to attack my back. I twisted myself and jumped to the side and the two daggers stabbed the ground where I was standing. My head spin and felt pain from the side of my left foot. There, a lone dagger made a cut though the side of my foot, blood slowly dripping to my wooden sandals making it hard for me to walk or run with it. I gnashed my teeth. This is some fucked up shit right here.

I growled, pulling my lips to a snarl. I looked to the front where a young youth with a red bandana on the head and mouth came towards me but stopped some meters away. He had daggers hanging by his belt and one sword, hands behind him. "Whatta' shame." He shook his head and I stared at his dark rimmed eyes. " Who the fuck are you, bitch?" I wiped blood with dirt from my chin. "Sunebi. Don't worry, you won't have time to remember me. You die here, Roronoa." That's when I rushed towards him with my other sword's blade swinging towards him. ***Ka-ching!* **And his blade kissed with mine. Something tells me this could be a great early morning training. When he blocked me, he barely took off the whole of his sword. I grinned, excited. "Ah, the _Notorious master of Santouryu _flares on the account of hurting his foot?" We both jumped back. He straightened up and sheathed back his sword while I twisted the joints of my shoulders.

"You do not know who I am but you killed my brother." He glared at me and tears formed on the rim of his eyes. "You broke his dream and after you mercilessly murdered him, I haven't stopped crying for years. You will die here, bastard!" He slipped off five daggers from his belt and toss them towards me. I blocked some but they bounced right off my sword and just like the first two daggers, they rushed down to me, attacking me from every sides. I kept parrying and dodging but three out of five ripped the bottom of my shorts and the collar of my shirt. "Let my _Bakujinen _guide you to hell!" He reached for the cover of his mouth and pulled it down. The boy opened his mouth and blew… iron dust? What kinda' game is this? He kept blowing that it seemed impossible he could still be alive. Grey dust hovered around me and the spectators around gasped and some even panicked.

"There is no atonement for all your sins!" He screamed once again and pulled six long spikes from his back pocket and toss them straight to me. I blocked them with my swords again and collided with my blade sending sparks and when it happened, the whole place blew up like there was a bombing attack. I barely jumped off from his new attack which burned the right pocket of my shorts. I didn't wasted anymore time but rushed to the enemy but when more spikes came my way and I didn't block them, another explosion took place. People started screaming when fire spread though the area. I rolled to my side, once again finding myself on the ground. "Zoro!" Ruby yelled. I quickly got up. Damn! What am I missing? The back of my shirt was flaring so I had to take it off. I panted. What did he do just now? When I blocked his spikes, it made sparks which caused the fire but then when I dodged, there was still another explosion. If only I could get close to him.

My opponent took out more spikes from wherever he was hiding them and held them to his sides. "Well, enjoying the Bakujinen? Hehe." He chuckled. "You see the very air around you is like gun powder. I generated fire dusts from my body and even a single spark alone can set off a chain reaction. Haha!" He laughs again, grinning at me with his ugly crying face. "If you block them off, they explode, if you don't move you'll die, if you attempt to escape, it will only cause the fire dust to spread around the area endangering the people around you. Hehe. You see, the air around you is like gun powder. You cannot move!" Subi… or whatever his name was started laughing hysterically while spitting all over the place, then he lifted the spikes. "You know what this is? Proof of weakness!" I didn't cared about the explosions and what they would cause me. The cock sucker was ruining my reputation around the people and I rushed to him while sheathing Sandai and Shuusui.

_"Nito-ryu iai," _ I announced. He tossed the spikes at me and missed a hair by my neck and when I looked at him, he looked as scared as hell. _"Rashoumon!" _I yelled pulling both my swords from each sides. When I opened my eyes, I was behind him and I looked back. He dropped on his knees and blood sprayed from both his shoulders, and he fell on the ground dead. There were huge fires flaring all around but the staff of the island were quick, when they knew things were getting hot, they rushed in and started fixing the area. Firemen came and took out a large hose and started spraying water into the burning small huts and trees. A bunch of medics took the asshole who was not breathing and it was such a waste of time they had to help him. I took a deep breath and sheathed my two swords and when I turned around, the first image I saw was Ruby's ugly face. "Zo-chan!!" He cried and flung to me but I covered his face with one hand.

"Zm-chm! Ahm ms hsmrhm.." He was still mumbling even though my palm was covering his face. I took it off and he continued. "-ught you were gonna die!" He wrapped his arms around me and nudged his cheek on my sweaty chest. "Oooh! Zo-chan! I thought you were gonna be barbequed." I pulled his hair but he was stuck on my body. He looked up to me, "But I'm so glad you took off that shirt. Fufufu~!" My fist connected with his face and he fell on the ground with a large lump on his forehead. "Get yer hands off me." I rasped. I dusted myself from the dark burnt powders of some leaf and Tashigi slowly came in front of me, although quite far away. I looked at her and she twisted her face and looked at my bare foot. She sighed heavily and took off her bag and opened it. She fished out a pink shirt and handed it to me, closed the bag and hoisted it again. "Zoro do you ever get a normal day?" She asked handing me the shirt but was looking at the firemen. "Yeah… I," I took the shirt and grimaced. "I did once. I think it was Tuesday… or was it Thursday?" I unfolded the shirt. It was just my size, maybe a bit tight but… "Why pink?" I moaned. "Pink for men is hawt!" Ruby suddenly entered the scene again. "Sorry I only have that." Tashigi answered shuffling her foot on the ground. "And I have no spare shoe or slippers." She bit her lower lip and looked at me. "Maybe we should go and get some shoes for you."

****

"Aw, come on. You were worried about me." I grinned and elbowed the marine. "Be quiet. I wasn't." She scoffed, seriously annoyed and had been blushing so much. "I was so worried!" Ruby ran beside me and tried to hug me again but as usual, covered his face with my palm. I kept staring at Tashigi's head waiting for her reply but they were all repetitive. I jogged to her front and when I was there, I grinned and walked backwards while she walked towards me but was not looking at my eyes at all. She was looking to the sides, frowning. "Really? When I looked at you, you had the very same eyes as okama, although his is more… over acting." "Because my love was in danger!" Ruby ran to me again. Tashigi shook her head and rolled her eyes and pushed. "Seriously, were you worried at me?" I grinned. She finally looked at my eyes slowing her pace. I winked then her grimace hardened. "Wh- ugh! Stop it. Don't do that again!" She reached out and pinched my chest. "Ah!" I winced and she pushed me to the side and walked faster.

Ruby and I watched her go march in with a characteristic arrogance. "Mm." Ruby hummed crossing his arms on his chest then he turned to me, face puffed and eyes mad. "Why are you flirting at her?" It took time for my brain to process what he just said. I was stunned then I exchange his look. "What?" "I'm jealous! Am I not showing my love enough?" He dropped one hand and tucked a curly bright purple hair to the back of one ear. "You should be flirting with me too! Tash-Tash doesn't even like you!" "I know she doesn't." I looked after the woman who was now blocked by lush dark vegetation. I was serious then. "She said I'm like her _little_ brother." I started walking after her_. "Zoro... wake up." _ Ruby jumped in joy and coiled his arms around my left arm. "Really?! She said that! Then there's no one getting in the way of our love." "Jeez, okama. You're so over dramatic me and Tashigi? It will never work." I noticed his other hand slowly snaking it way to my chest so I took my hand off him and pushed him off. "Will you stop that!?" "Sorry." My mind reeled again and her voice echoed. _"Ssh, Zoro, it's just me."_

We kept walking deeper and deeper into the depths of the dark forest. There were large gray boulders sticking out here and there and some limestone craters. As we went farther from the inn we stayed, the forest was getting darker. I looked up, the black trees were taller, thicker and the leaves were bigger and greener. Large roots were sticking out everywhere and from afar, I heard an odd animal cry, something I haven't heard in my entire life. The forest was so full of life and when I looked around and if I was alone, I know I would be so lost. I looked at Tashigi's back which was coming into view, she was slapping off some thick reaching brambles and I could hear her curse and growl at them. She took out her sword and lifted it up but she stopped, hesitated and looked to the front where I couldn't see because of the curtain of the wilted leaves of the short palm trees by my front. I rolled my eyes and jumped over a limestone boulder.

The things she does for nature love, always hesitating to do the wrong thing. I pushed away the large arm like palm leaves and kept staring at the marine's back while holding the handle of Sandai. "Look, if you can't cut these, I'll do it for y-" I stopped when I looked to where she was gaping. I looked to the front then heard Ruby gasp and clap behind me. "Oh this place!" He squealed. We found ourselves under giant almost hut like mushrooms. They were all so tall and large. Some trunks were thick some were thin but they were all the same in colour, black. I looked to ground and everything was carpeted with small mushrooms. I wouldn't know if they were all edible. The heads were brightly coloured, mostly red and orange with dots on them. Everything were different here, there were no trees only trees of mushrooms. It was like we were in a different part of the island.

Tashigi stepped forward sheathing her sword and looked down to the short human sized mushrooms. "This is amazing." She grinned and reached out to tap an orange mushroom and started smoothing it, running her palm up and down the roof. I did the same, reaching out for another red mushroom just beside it. It was soft and had short unseen thin hair and was so smooth. "It's like, I've been here before." She looked up searching again. "This is making me hungry." I squatted on the ground and reached out to pluck a small clean indigo small mushroom. Suddenly, blue liquid sprayed from the broken stem. "No, Zo-chan, don't!" Okama yelled and I looked back to him over my shoulder. He looked scared, hiding behind a black tree trunk. He braced himself and I waited for something to happen. Until after a minute, nothing happened. I shook my head and grinned and started plucking more mushrooms, multicoloured liquids sprayed. "Chill okama." I chuckled. "Zoro, will you put them back?" Tashigi sighed. "I mean, we don't even know if they're edible."

"Nothing… happened?" Ruby whispered, stepping out from the trunk. "Tchya." I scoffed. I gathered the mushrooms on my left hand with my right plucking. I stood up and turned back to Ruby. Then there was a slight tremor. I stopped and waited for it, but it was gone. "Did you felt that?" I asked shifting my eyes around. "What?" Tashigi whispered. "The ground shook." "Oh no!" "It could… probably just the magnetic field of the island." Tashigi took a deep breath and acted calm but she looked afraid and came beside me. Then the ground shuddered again, stronger like an earthquake that we had to grab hold on something. Then from where we were standing, the place became so dark and the tremor slowly decreased. I looked around me and when I looked at okama, he looked like he was about to shit himself.

Ruby was gaping over and behind me. I looked back and the very first thing I saw was a long and orange scaly long coil. My eyes went up to where it stretched. The place wasn't getting darker, well it did, but we were loomed over by a huge dark serpent. I marvelled at it. It was so big, so tall, probably thirty meters high. It looked to me like a giant snake, one that looked like the python in the Sky island only that this one was smaller. It had red scales at the sides and orange at the middle. But it was a different serpent because it had hundreds of smaller scaly dragon like legs at the middle of its long body. All over its body, mushrooms were sticking out even the large ones we touched and the soil underneath it broke and formed into a spiral crater. While the red mushroom serpent stood before us, it was raining down dirt and mud. "H-o-l-y shyeet." I muttered. And it opened its large mouth showing off its yellow large fangs. **"Raaaah!!" **It roared.

We froze then Tashigi whimpered. "What're w-" "Don't fight!" Okama cried, I moved my head to him and when I did, a pale green liquid rushed from the monster down to the air at the side of my face, barely touching my skin. Ruby jumped away from the spit and I pushed my head to the side and glared at the mushroom snake or some crap like that. I grabbed the hilt of my sword, "Don't do anything! Don't move…" Ruby's voice became so hoarse, then he swallowed. "Don't do anything at all." I kept staring up to the serpents yellow eyes and slit pupils. It kept wiggling its head from side to side and kept glaring down at me. "It will spray venom to us. Very deadly venom." Ruby whispered once again. "The hell am I gonna do?" I rasped. "The mushrooms, give it back." "What?!" "Oh for Goodness sake, Roronoa!" Tashigi growled. "Just give it!" I cursed, I didn't want to give them back. It was my mushrooms now! I wanted to eat them. "T- we- fine!" I threw the mushrooms to the serpent's chest and it bounced right off. Its eyes were now concentrating at it.

It bent down, opening its mouth and gobbled the mushrooms, even the dirt underneath it and turned away instantly. When it made its way, it crawled like a caterpillar, with it's small legs rising up one after another and its body waving. "What the hell is that?" We finally relaxed. "A Tuluswe dragon." Ruby, the experienced one, answered and placed both hands on my shoulder from the back. "What?" "The natives call it _A'eyaokri. _Ssh, don't worry. Once it's got what it wants, it will leave us in peace." Just then the serpent stopped dead on its tracks and grumbled. Then suddenly, the first and last thing I visualize was the swift toss of its red long neck which looked like a red blur. When it swung its head, it wiped out all the tall mushrooms around it and his head suddenly snapped back to where we were standing and slapped us away with such great body strength.

**"Aaah!" **The three of us yelled when our body hit the long neck and it send us flying up over the tall thin mushrooms. We were flying so fast, my head spin and all I could see were blurs of mixed colours. We were thrown so far and so fast I felt my cheek expanded when I opened my mouth to scream. Shit! We'll definitely die! I can picture us then, falling off the island and into the dark water of the ocean. No we'll die even if we haven't fell on the ocean. I extended my arms to reach out for my two companion, but I almost broke it when a hard object hit both my arms so hard I had to make an additional scream yet again. And then finally, we were falling, still so fast. But I guess that was okay since we weren't falling off the island. I closed my eyes and waited for the impact. ***Splash!* **And again, we got lucky, we fell on water. Quickly, I pulled myself up and the pain in my arms reached out to radiate on my shoulders. I gnashed my teeth and looked around. "Oh hell." I moaned again.

Okay, so we fell on water but not _clean_ water, we found ourselves standing on a dirty smelly marshland in which the water only reached just under our upper thighs. We were so wet. I looked down at my pale pink shirt and it had turned into a mixture of dark green and brown and I smelled like shit. I wiped off my face but it made it only worse, the water was so sticky and I had dark green water loving plants on my arms and torso which were sticking on me. "Noo!" Ruby screeched with his arms over his head. "Ewewewew!" He yelled again. We were once again in a dark ominous place with full of bugs buzzing around and my eyes wandered. There was land a couple of blocks away and I made my way there gesturing for the others to come and follow me. "Let's go get to dry land." I said and pushed so hard to move my legs. "Oh no." Tashigi moaned. "Our clothes are so wet. Even our snacks!" I heard her zip close her bag. "But they're not dirty though. Only wet." "We'll sort that out later."

****

After a painstaking whole thirty minutes of walking and searching for a clean running water, we finally made into one, happily. Ruby jumped down into a flowing blue and green lagoon polluting the crystal clear waters and he stayed under it for seconds. I took off my shirt while I looked at Tashigi opening the bag and started taking out all the contents. I did what she did soaking the clothes into the water cleaning off the dirt, she didn't look at me when she took the messed up pink shirt from my hands and soaked it together with the others. While she did the 'laundry' I dipped my whole body to the water cleansing myself too rubbing dirt off my hair and opening the button of my shorts and unzipping it. I drowned my whole body down and took it off and started running it up and down under the water too. Dirt and some green moss exited from every wholes then I rose up massaging my hair. I headed for the shore, to where Tashigi was drying the clothes lying them openly by a gray clean rock under the glare of the sunlight.

She stood up flexing her muscles, after blinking from the sun, she looked at me while I left the waters. Her eyes widened and her mouth slowly opened. I looked back instantly only to find the okama splashing like the hippy happy idiot he always was. That wasn't out of the ordinary. I turned my head to Tashigi again and raised one eyebrow. I cleaned by ears while flapping my shorts with one hand up and down to drain off the water. While I walked towards her, she stepped back so I stopped and frowned. "What is wrong with you?" I asked handing her my brown shorts. She shook her head and looked away then took the fabric. "Uhm… n- nothing." She crouched on the ground and lay the shorts together with the others. She's probably in that odd state of her again and I rolled my eyes and sat on a boulder beside the clothes.

Tashigi walked away to the farther part of the lagoon where she could take a bath privately. While I looked at her striding away, she was rigid just like the first time we met. What is up with her? I thought she was okay… maybe the magnetic field of the island infiltrating her brain, is that even possible? Water splashed on my face and I knew the okama was near. "Oh sorry, Z—" I hissed at him but he didn't look scared or horrified. He had the same expression as Tashigi's staring at me wide eyed with jaw dropped. He was suddenly still, even the waters around him were not moving. I lifted my arms slowly and looked at my body. "What? What's wrong? Is something sticking in me?" I craned my head to check my back. Nothing was on me. "Am I mutating?" I touched my face.

"Oh my… GOOOD!!" Ruby squealed and slapped his hands to his face and jumped over to me and glomped my upper torso. "Let go!" I grimaced. He started planting kisses from my stomach to my chest and I felt so disgusted of myself. "Stop it!!" I yelled. "Oh, Zo-chan~!" I straightened up myself and toss the okama back to the water in a loud splash. He floated up again, staring at me seductively. "Why are you giving me that look? You and Tashigi are so the same!" I pointed an accusing finger at him. "What is wrong with the both of you?!" He pouted his lower lip. "Can't you see, Zo-chan? You are so _hot _that's why." He started splashing. "Look at those tight muscles on your stomach. You'd look good as an underwear model." He winked and I had to cover my body after that. "That's probably why Tash-Tash acted silly. Come on, Zo-chan." He sighed and his eyes turned droopy. "How would you expect a woman to act when she sees your God-like features? It's not our fault yer just so… _mouth watering. _" He winked and I rasped. I looked at myself, the okama leaving while singing. Was she really embarrassed? Did she really think I was… _hot_? Damn. I really need to stop flashing. But how would I know? It's men's nature. How would I know this would make women uncomfortable? Nami and Robin have seen me half naked a couple of times and nothing happened.

I looked to the area to where she disappeared and wonder what she was thinking now. If I had the ability to read people's thought I w-… no, maybe I shouldn't. Hours past, Ruby lay on a rock 'sun bathing' while Tashigi came back with her clean clothes, but wet. She wasn't looking at anything but the ground. She touched the dry clothes then Ruby rose from the dead… or from his nap, which ever. "Ooh! Tash-Tash! I want you to wear something!" He got up took some clothes and brought her away behind the bushes. I dressed myself with my typical favourite blouse, leaving it open and used the brown shorts. It felt good to be dry and clean again. It took the two of them to stay behind the bushes for minutes leaving me annoyed and impatient. "Come on! I don't want to camp for the night!" I yelled angrily.

"Okay!" Ruby answered then he came to me skipping wearing new clothes. Tashigi came after him, blushing, still looking down. I was glaring at the okama then I switched my eyes to Tashigi. My eyes widened and my mouth hanged open. I quickly covered my nose and mouth and turned away. "What are you wearing, idiot!" I mumbled against my palm. Tashigi was wearing a _revealing _cloth. One that I always found Nami and Robin wearing. The collar of her white sleeved less blouse was so open and it reached unbuttoned purposely down to her diaphragm showing off her cleavage. I peaked at her again and I felt blood gushing up to the wholes of my nose I had to lift my head up to prevent it from exploding. "Oh God!" I slammed my foot on the ground closing my eyes. "R-Ruby made me we-" She cried then played with the dirt under her. "It's fashion, Zo-chan! What would you know?"

Why am I acting like these? Her breasts weren't even as big as Nami's or Robin's. They didn't even half them, not even close. Hers were like small oranges while Nami and Robin's were like melons. So different. But how come… how come I'm becoming so perverted? Why are my hormones rampaging this suddenly? It was like witnessing an adult Kuina with breasts. I dropped my head sniffing in the blood back into my nose and took off my shirt and handed it to her. "Cover yourself." I shook my head. "I'm not gonna let you walk around on those. Button all those to the neck!" I pointed at the buttons but winced then stared at okama who was shrinking. "Zoro, it's okay." Tashigi reasoned. "You'll be the one shirt-" "Take it," I shot a look at her and stared only at her eyes. "Now." I commanded and she took it from me grumbling. I was serious. _"Ssh, Zoro…" _Her whispers echoes again. I cannot let her walk around wearing that damned clothes… it's not even a proper cloth! It's missing some serious parts. What if we bump on some assholes 'round here? They'd make fun of her and act like perverts!

Now I understood how she felt awhile ago and… I'll die from blood lose before even reaching half of our destination…

**

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**

Coming up…

"Tashigi…" I whispered. "Zoro…" She whispered back, copying my voice, then she laughed softly. "You're an idiot." I replied and she gasped, then continued to laugh again. "But I like you…" I took her hand and squeezed it against mine. We both looked at each other, my lips turning into a simple line. "I really do." Even though I knew I shouldn't.


	10. Wonder if I'll

**Author's note; **Life sucks. Anyway, sorry for the delay! I forgot I was suppose to update after every five days. Here ya go!

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**Chapter 10; "Wonder if I'll"**

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The day seemed long, too long. I can't believe it has only been noon, I thought it would be afternoon. The temperature rose making my skin ache at the peeking beams of sunlight over the thick canopies. Good thing was I was shirtless so when the wind blew, it cooled me off and I could wipe my body freely. The disadvantages were; my arm pits were getting so wet I could feel sweat dripping down. Now and again I would have to flap it open and rub my arms back and forwards. The next was Ruby and Tashigi blushing so much, or maybe it was the heat, I don't know. But the way the okama looks at me it seemed like he wanted to eat me. Ruby kept on stealing my attention while Tashigi kept looking away from me as possible. I hate it when people don't look at me in the eye, but she was Tashigi, the Kuina look alike, maybe it's better if she should not look at me.

So many buzzing insects were biting me! Aren't they supposed to come out during the afternoon? And why the hell would they bit a sweaty smelly body? The forest bushes were tall, almost like medium sized trees and their leaves are too itchy, especially when they grab on your naked skin. Every time we hear a howl or an eccentric noise we would prepare for battle waiting for incoming danger of one of them dysfunctional over grown animals. We had some few adventures too like walking over a thick dead log covered my damp moss. It acted as a bridge which helped us cross over a deep dark chasm. Ruby paused and moaned. "No... I don't know where we are anymore. That dragon hit us so hard. I think we're in the danger zone." Wherever we were, I didn't care. The place was brighter, fewer trees but so much bushes and insects. We have been walking for hours and I think we're lost, all the places looked the same. I looked up to the low lying branches and saw large purple, with tints of sky blue birds with yellow eyes and beaks. They were staring at us and were probably stalking.

Ruby stopped before me and after he swallowed he bent down to touch his knees and looked at the birds too. "They are Tulu'swe vultures, the natives sometimes uses them as hunting buddies." He panted and straightened up. "They're very strong." Ruby slapped my back and continued walking. "Less'go. They'll keep following us but won't attack, unless we're about to die." I took a final glance at the glaring bird then followed after the okama. We came across a stream leading to another lagoon. When we stepped in the white sand, we heard noises from the shore. It was just my luck, not too far stood the three assholes Tashigi and I met in the city. I came to stop and they too stopped talking when they sensed our presence. There were only three, maybe the other two died while travelling. One idiot sniffed and wiped his nose while grinning at me.

"Well, well, well." He said and pulled up his loose shorts. "Look what we got here." The others chuckled after him, one guy holding on his shoulder. "Roronoa bitch-ass." The second man grimaced. I shook my head and bent down to the shore of the stream to wash my hand. I chuckled loudly. "Aha!" I stood up and shook my hands and pointed at the three men. "I knew you missed me." The same man who mocked me laughed after looking at Ruby then he whispered something to his mates causing them to bump each other's knuckles. "Never thought you'd be an okama fucker." My smiled faded and I grind my teeth together. The three cock suckers burst into loud laughter. It angered me. Although I keep complaining about Ruby, it angered me to hear them make fun of his humanity.

"Hehey! It's you again, sweet thing!" I turned around to meet the other two assholes who came behind us, the one who spoke came to Tashigi grabbing her elbow but she pulled them back and snarled at him. "Ooh! Don't need to act all defensive." The fat man raised his hands. "My jaw still hurts but that's okay. I promise to be good." I noticed how Ruby's rage was triggered too as he pulled an inch of his microphone sword. I stepped before the fat ugly bitch and Tashigi, while doing so, I grabbed on her waist and slammed her thin body on mine while looking back to obese barbarian. She grunted against me and squirmed. "Yo, hey, hey. Hold up." I lifted a hand to shove back the man in a split second. "This is _my _bitch remember?" I grinned.

He gnashed his teeth, eyes fixed on mine. I faced him completely and pulled Sandai's hilt. "I thought I already taught you assholes a lesson? You still need one?" The quiet one behind the fat guy stepped forward but fatty stopped him and instead of picking yet another fight with me, they both regrouped with the others. "Hehe!" I laughed and wiped a sweat from my temple. "Yeah, that's right, bitches! Get yer bitch ass outta' here!" I teased. The five men walked off and it seemed so impossible that they didn't made any profane signs or didn't even scream and insults. They just left. Tashigi pushed me back and I looked at her. "I didn't need your help." She rasped. "I already told you." She glared at the disappearing group and looked so enraged, she looked like she wanted so much to kill them and was mad at me for scaring them away.

"Thank you is accepted." I sulked. "I didn't need any help. I was about to kill him." Tashigi looked down and kicked the water under her slippers. "I hate being helped." She looked to the side and pouted. I stared in her eyes, there was a mixture of anxiety and sadness in them. "Because it makes you feel weak." I answered and she looked up at me, her thin lips parting. Then she frowned once again and looked at my chest and boxed it gently with her right hand pushing me back slightly. She looked frustrated and confused. "Damn you, Zoro." She blinked and looked up to me. "Why must you exist?" I smiled and pushed down her fist. "Because I am awesome."

Just then after our mid heart to heart conversation, we heard a loud vehement screams from where the five assholes exited. If took our attentions making us turn our heads. Only four morons came running towards us fear painted on their faces and after them, black bamboos were falling from the thick trees down to the stream of the lagoon. Bamboos kept falling after them like rain and two unlucky bastards got stabbed right down from their backs and went down to the ground. It was so graphic. They died kneeling on the ground blood sipping down from their corpses down to the clear water turning them maroon red. One of the remaining two ran back to help their friends but was imprecated with the same fate. A long thick arrow pierced him right straight to the brain. The last one kept running while screaming until two arrows hit him from the rib and leg, he fell and died.

We looked up to the branches where we saw blurs of flying shadows jumping from a thick black branch to another. There were many and they started howling over us. I pulled my two swords and my two companion followed suit. "The natives!" Ruby hissed. Arrows and black bamboos rained down on us and with one swing of Shuusui, I pushed all of them away. Instead of falling arrows, falling shards came down on us making a mess of the place. My second attack was on the jumping natives. "_Nana- Jyu pound hou!"_ I attacked them using the air and one by one, they all fell after one another. I thought they'd break their bones but they were good at airborne. They landed like cats, falling on all fours on the streams, some on the shore. They stood up just as fast as they fell. For the first time, my curiosity was fed. The natives were, just like Ruby described, tall, lithe but had a body built for fighting, they're skin were painted with black. Their glaring eyes and snarling fanged teeth were pale white. Each carried their weapons of choice; black long and pointed bamboos, bows and arrows, some had staffs and machetes strapped on their backs. Their hair were in thick brown messy dread locks.

They also had white paint running from their faces, arms, legs and torso. They had feather accessories around their biceps and on their ankles. Each had large bead necklaces. Most of them, I could tell, were young hunters and warriors. One I could differentiate as the hunter leader. He was older and had a large hat full of bright coloured feathers and his straight white paints were more complicated. He also had the longest bow. They surrounded us, pointed their machetes by their sides. They all howled then came to attack us. I saw Tashigi ran towards an attacking man and she attacked him with the blunt side of her sword. Ruby did too smashing the painted people on the stream with a splash. For a second, I watched and witnessed how Tashigi insisted on killing one native. He had his machete pointed on her stomach, half a foot away. Yet she had the advantage, the blade of her sword was on the man's throat.

One tribal man screamed and pointed an arrow on Tashigi's head and that's when I readied my sword. _"Unpeka, nolo!" _And yet my defence was delayed. The leader suddenly yelled and walked to the man with arrow. He hooked his arrow on his back and pushed down the man's reached out hand and started speaking on his language. The other hunters also lowered their weapons and… surrendered? I couldn't tell. They were speaking with each other in their own languages. The man in front of Tashigi dropped his machete and dropped on the ground, his head over the water under them. The leader smiled and turned to Tashigi, where she lowered her sword too. The leader bowed and stared at Tashigi in the eyes, his eyes were squinty.

"I don't fight to you." He said simply. "I want talk only." He surprised me, us, with his use of our language. The man pointed at one of her ankle. "The mark, where did you got?" He continued. Ruby sheathed his sword and stepped forward pushing off a native in his way. "You better tell us how you can speak our language first!" He pointed accusingly. But the leader ignored him and kept smiling at Tashigi. "Please say." "I… got it from an island. A tribal island." Tashigi breathed and looked at me then back to the man. "Why?" She asked. "It is very important." He looked down at her ankle again. I noticed, it was to her tattoo he was looking at. "It means you are brave. Not many outsiders have them. We will not kill." _"Amnikaw ligkiidi!"_ The same man who pointed an arrow at Tashigi growled and pulled the leader's shoulder. He kept screaming but the leader placed one hand on his chest and talked to him calmly.

He turned to Tashigi again. "Come." He gestured with his hand and turned to his side. "We bring you to village. Give you rest." He said. "Hell no!" Ruby yelled, cling and looked at me. "They'll kill us, Zo-chan! They'll definitely kill us! Ho shit!" He leaned his forehead on my arm. "I can't die yet! I'm still a virgin!" I shuddered and shook him off me. "Will you calm down!?" I rasped. "I give you my word and honour." The leader bent his head and took off his necklace, bent to the ground and dropped it there, just in front of Tashigi's toes. "Take my bead. It is my honour. We hurt you, I kill myself." Tashigi was making second thoughts but soon bent down and took the necklaces. The leader bowed again and walked a step back. "Come. We go to village. There you will find what you seek." Tashigi looked at me again only to be disappointed that I too was as unsure as she was. I could only hope that the man was true to his words. Tashigi looked at the man, nodded and sheathed her sword.

She came beside him and they walked together. Ruby and I followed after them with the okama hiding behind me. "Zo-chan, this is such a bad idea!" He whispered. The leader and Tashigi were talking with each other. I looked at the surrounding tribal men who kept glaring at us, especially that 'new-found' asshole who argued with the tribe leader. I glared back at him, making sure that I was not feared by him. I hanged my right hand on top of my swords and looked forward. "Just keep your guard up, Ruby." I said. "Neither do I trust any of them."

****

"I am Hek'oe. I am chief of Ungara 'Tey." The leader introduced while we walked. The tribe brought us so deep into the forest. They brought us in a different landscape. Everything seemed to look like they were all made from rock. We were in a rocky valley with thick green vines from the sprouting trees crawling up and down. I also recognised that each time we went deeper, there were more and larger black statues of the tribal people. It made me feel that we were getting close to their village. The trees became larger and taller yet it was brighter. "My warriors have slain many sea people but sea people also slain my warriors." Hewe… or whatever his name was, said. "When sea people came with metal demons, we move and live away. We hide in trees." He continued. "Why don't you live with the other people?" Tashigi asked. "Ah, we talk later." Hewe replied.

We were brought towards a dark cave with those glowing pods hanging from the roof. Thick green and brown vines were hanging by the mouth of the cave which acted as curtains. We went in and the cave looked like a tunnel, fire flies stated fluttering over us. "Village is drawing near." Hewe said again. The tunnel went on a zigzag. I felt suspicious. What if this was a sneak attack? I waited for any of them to make a false move but no one did. The men behind me were walking calmly but I could feel them glaring daggers behind my back. A light beamed in at the end of the tunnel with those vines as curtains too. And we came out, finally, breathing on fresh air. The light was so bright I had to adjust my eyes, blinking a couple of times.

When I opened my eyes, I saw yet another beautiful habitat. We were brought in the village. In the village, there were so many large trees, but three humongous thick giant trees stood out from the common trees I've seen. They were so big the tribal people made a long spiral stair around them and had built in windows and hammocks by the thick branches. There were also those large mushrooms which they made into little huts. The village was situated in a rocky valley as usual, covered with lush green vines. There were tall and large rock arches. I squinted to have a better look at it. Under it were hanging green pod looking huts with really thick vines connecting them with one another, vine ladders also connected them from the ground. A lagoon flew across the village and by the shore line were normal looking huts. Different coloured birds were hovering over us and the tribe people also had odd looking animals with them.

I was surprised to see that not all the natives had black paint all over them. The normal people had dark brown skin and brown dread locks. I looked around, only the warriors had black paints. Most of them were so afraid to have seen us, the women pulled their children away from us while looking at us as if they've seen monsters. Maybe we were. They were talking to each other, the tone of their voices growing by each second. Some were so ignorant though. They came so close while talking to themselves, some reached out to hold us but the warriors who were guarding shooed them away, screaming and snarling at them. Some people, who looked to me like officers, came to Hewe and yet he talked to them calmly. The tribal people walked after us until when Hewe bought us to a short rock plateau with a red hut on top made from large leaves, the people stopped and only watched us from the top of the rock. When the warriors left, the same warrior who had been staring at me growled at me

Soon, we found ourselves standing on the rock plateau looking down on the group of indigenous people. Hewe… shit, I don't know if that's his name, went to the front. "This is last village of _Kom'ekui_." He hid his hands behind his back. "Of what?" Tashigi asked. He looked back to her. "Of floating island, if you say." He turned to his people again. "We welcome sea people when they come but they exploit lands told us we move. There was big battle but Ungara warriors died. Many died." He hung his head slowly. "We defend ourselves, lived with other chief of other floating islands together. Big island is dead- so many metal trees growing one after one. Many animals dead."

From the rock stairs that we climbed, a blind old woman came with five nurse maidens. When she stepped in the flat ground, she held out her shaking hand and Hewe came to take her. The other women left. Hewe guided her to wooden chair with some feathers at the back and made her sit on it. Hewe kneeled before her, took her hand and made her touch his forehead. She smiled and said something while tapping on his forehead. _"Emti Hek'oe." _ Hewe replied with something back, stood up then turned to us. "This is Dinom'eh. She is great mother. Oldest of all Ungara people. She has many experience with sea people." He looked at Tashigi and gestured for her to come to him. She stepped forward, stopped, then continued. Hek'oe, I think that's his right name, bought her closer to the blind lady. He bent down and guided the lady's hand down to Tashigi's tattooed ankle. The old woman gasped and kept running her fingers on Tashigi's ankle.

She sat up straight then whispered to Hek'oe. The woman's voice was so husky and shaky, it sounded like she had vocal chord problems. Hek'oe bowed to her then looked at Tashigi. "I am glad to meet you." Then he bowed to her. "You are _Hng' uti nolo. _Brave warrior." He dropped a hand on her shoulder and nodded. "You walk with _Za'eya _people and live." He bowed again. "I bow to you." This time, he kneeled on the ground and dropped his forehead on the ground. Tashigi panicked, tossing her head to side to side. Then she bent down and pulled him up. "No, no! Please don't!" She cried. I looked to where the people were and they too did the same, surrendering fully before us. Some warriors though were forced to bow themselves. "Ooh! I can get used to this!" Ruby snickered.

Tashigi's panicked even more and pulled Hek'oe up to his feet. "Don't bow!" She cried. "But why not? You are Ungara Tey's saviour. You will bring En'gtuka back like stars say." Hek'oe frowned. "No. I'm sorry." Tashigi shook her head. "I'm just an ordinary tourist whose suppose to enjoy her leave. Please, I'm not someone to be worshipped." Hek'oe's forehead wrinkled as he frowned and his upper lip lifted into a pout. "You are only and first sea people with mark." "But I'm sure you can defeat the uhm… sea people by yourselves, but no, wait…" She stepped back shaking her head. "You have to tell us everything first. I'm not even sure what this is all about."

The warrior leader cast his eyes down and rubbed his chin. He looked so upset and disappointed. He sighed and rubbed his forehead. "I am saddened. But it is late in the day. You rest. I bring you to hut."

****

When he said 'hut' I thought he would bring us to one of those ordinary looking huts by the lagoon, yet he didn't. He brought us to the most hostile of all abode, up to the hanging green huts under the stone arches. By the front was a large circular open door and at the sides were circular doors too for the bridge like vines connecting each the hanging huts. The hut was like a hammock itself, always moving at the blow of the wind. We were so high up from the ground, about fifty feet and luckily, the hut was huge. We saw everything from up there. We saw the whole of the village and the green forest around it. Over all, it was a scary place to live in. It kept swaying. But for me, this would be the most relaxing place to sleep in. I looked at Tashigi from the corners of my eyes. I saw how she hugged her knees by her chest while looking out to the view. It was getting dark, the sky turning into dark shades of blue.

Little luminous dots formed in the village while the villagers danced and gathered around a built up fire place. They started singing and I noticed the old woman sitting in the middle of the crowd. Ruby wasn't with us, he was probably such a pussy to not try and stay for even a minute in the hut. No, Hek'oe got a better plan for him. Tashigi and I were not talking so I swayed myself together with the hut, seeing how she will react to that. The hut started swaying from side to side and that's how I took her attention. She grabbed on the floor and her face was priceless. "Z- Zoro, stop!" She cried. "Stop it. Heights make me uncomfortable." "I'm not afraid of heights." I chuckled and bit my lower lip and swayed it again. "It's the ground that kills you." I grinned at her. "Come on, smile. Stop looking all crap." I chuckled but she looked away. "I'm just worried." She sighed heavily. "I mean, I'm not 'the brave warrior who will bring about peace' for the natives an island. Maybe I can give back their sword but… saving them?" She shook her head. "I don't even know what's the truth." She buried her face in her hands.

I swayed the hut again so she squealed and clenched on my left arm. "Stop, Zoro! Please!" She finally laughed while gnashing her teeth. "Nyehe!" I snickered. "For the love of God, I don't want to die yet! I still want to have kids!" I stopped and the hut swayed on its own. I liked how she cling on me, like her life depended on it, it did though. There were screeching noses from the vines holding the hut. Tashigi gasped and buried her face on my arm and squeezed my arm. She started to chuckle and let out a high pitch noise. The wind blew and slowly, the hut came to a stop. She let go and touched her stomach. "Uhn, I feel like puking. I'm gonna die here. I need to tell the chief that we need to move to a safer place."

We both became quiet again, the only noise coming from the tribal people making howling noises and singing chants. I heard her sigh softly. "It's so peaceful looking at them." She moved and the hut moved with her. "I would love to live in a tribe. They seem to have minor problems only. They don't engage in large battles and they are unaware of the real world." "Then again you'd have to wear a bra made up of thin tree barks and grass skirts. Damn." I shivered. Tashigi took off the shirt I lend her and I looked away quickly, my heart beating fast. I have to calm myself or I'll kill us both in this hut. She threw it over me, covering my face with it. I took it off and hand it back to her. "Take it back." "Calm, Zoro. Don't worry, I'll cover my chest. I promise I will never wear something like this around you ever again."

I looked at my shirt and wore it, inserting both arms in the sleeve. Her smell lingered, the smell of a woman. "Okay, weirdo." I answered. "Grass head." "It's moss head." "Moss brain?" "Shut up!" "Mad yet?" We ended up laughing at our lame jokes. I looked around to the heavily dense forest then up to the large moon. There are still too many unexplored landscapes out there that needs to be viewed. I grinned. "Tashigi…" I whispered. "Zoro…" She whispered back, copying my voice, then she laughed softly. "You're an idiot." I replied and she gasped, then continued to laugh again. "But I like you…" I took her hand and squeezed it against mine. We both looked at each other, my lips turning into a simple line. "I really do." Even though I knew I shouldn't. Her smile disappeared completely and she was serious, her mouth slightly opened. Tashigi looked so afraid.

She gasped and took off her hand and looked to the front. We became quiet and I felt like an idiot. I wasn't thinking again. I shouldn't have said that. "I don't… trust myself anymore with you, Roronoa." She suddenly said leaving me puzzled. "What are you saying?" I tried to put my face in front of her. Tashigi cleared off her mind and when she turned back to me, her personality changed. She was smiling again. "Call me Blueberry and I'll call you…" She poked her chin. "Melon!" I frowned. What's this? What's up with her? Why did she changed the subject? I looked at the floor then forced a smile to her. "Alright. Hi, Blueberry." "What's up, melon?" She giggled covered her mouth.

We focused on looking out to the people again. They were quiet now, gathering a circle around the old lady who seemed to be telling tales. I inserted my right hand in my pocket and took out my silver ring. I smiled and inserted it in my ring finger, by my left hand. After that, I always found Tashigi staring at me…

* * *

**Coming up… **

"Do you… like stories?" I managed. She turned her back on me again and kept searching. "If they are interesting and meaningful."

"See this scar? I got this after my battle with 'Taka no mi'. This was done by his large sword." Tashigi gasped again and her eyes opened so wide staring at my long scar. _"Feel it." _I sputtered softly searching for her eyes and hoping she'd look at me again. Her eyes dropped from my eyes down to my lips and I did the same, staring at her thin and chapped ones.

We were like idiots, gaping at one another. "What are you thinking?" I asked.


	11. Feel that way again

**Author's note; **Yeah I think it's a fluff ahead... I can't tell. I really don't know. Anyway, here goes!

* * *

**Chapter; 11 "Feel that way again"**

* * *

When I woke up, I woke with the cold wind blewing on me from every corners. I sneezed and sat up, there was no Tashigi nor Ruby. I must have woke up too late. The sun was high and the people more lively than usual. I looked outside, poking my head out. The wilderness was beautiful, so free from pollution or any signs of civilisation, aside from the tribe. Some of the trees from afar were moving though, that's odd. I stood up, slid my swords to my side and walked slowly out from the hut to the vine bridge. When I reached the arch of the rock, I grabbed hold on the vine ladder and started climbing down. Tribal women were looking at me as if I was a curse and they pulled their children who were looking at me with dropped jaws and blank faces. I lifted a hand and nodded. "Hey how you doin', kid?" I asked only to be hit by a wooden toy on the forehead. "Ow! Hey that's rude!" I pointed. I walked to the stream, grumbling. Do these people teach their kids to be respectful to their elders? Jeez, youth.

I came down to wash my face and when I turned, I saw the same group of warriors who attacked us yesterday. My 'newfound hater' was at the middle, eyes glaring at me and upper lip lifted. Some were taunting me, taking out the machete and tapping the blade on their palm. Some were talking to each other. "You wanna kill me? Fine, go ahead." I nodded and wiped my face with the sleeve of my shirt. "We will kill you!" The man rasped. "Aha! I knew it. I knew you could speak our language!" I grinned and pointed at him. "You should be not here." He shook his head to one side. "You are dead!" And he held on the handle of his machete. "Alright, let's settle this." I pulled an inch of my sword while he pulled out his own weapon. The warriors surrounding us howled in excitement, lifting their weapons up to the air.

"You will not last long!-" The painted man took a long step to me until a familiar deep voice yelled. "Ki'teh!" We both looked to the side and from the opening of the crowd came Hek'oe walking towards us frowning at the young warrior. Tashigi and Ruby were beside him. While the leader walked to calm the warrior, Ruby pulled my arm while Tashigi stood in front of me. Ki'teh, the warrior, and I were still glaring at each other, unblinking. He taunted me, lifting up his chin so I took the bait and walked forward but Tashigi was on the way and she pushed me back while Ruby pulled me. Hek'oe took Ki'teh's attention again and he talked. "Zoro, stop." Tashigi said, her head covering my vision from the tribal warrior so I craned my head. "Enough, Zoro." She said again and I ignored until she took my nose between her finger and her thumb and pulled it down for me to look at her. Her large blue eyes took mine, she was serious. "Look at me." Her appearance then softened. "Stop it."

She stepped back and looked at my chest. "Let it go." Tashigi looked back to the arguing man. "I don't get how you're so calm about these." I pointed out. She looked up to me again and smiled faintly. "This people are just afraid... Melon. Understand them, alright?" She lifted her eyebrows putting a hand on my shoulder. I frowned at my enemy again. "Yeah, Zo-chan. One kid tried to kill me and what did I do? I kissed him on the forehead. Now his mother's haunting me." Ruby added. "But see, I'm still optimistic... for now." Hek'oe turned, Ki'teh leaving angrily. "I apologise." He started, bowing. "My son do not like sea people. Young warrior do not..." He looked around. "Yeah I kinda' noticed already." I sniffed.

We forgot about everything that happened and Hek'oe brought us in a peaceful rocky place. Pointed rocks were jutting out from the earth, vines snaking on them. To me, it looked like a tomb area. "My wife says, there are kindness in everything... even to sea people. She do not hate them, she welcome them like other elders." He bent down by a mossy rock and dusted off the fallen dried leaves on top of it. "But sea people kill her in dark place. That is why Ki'teh so mad." He stood up but kept his eyes on the stone. "This is burial ground where many dead Ungara bury. Some die from sickness carry by sea people. Sea people said first they don't want fight but sea people took places, all islands. One day sea people kill village and Ungara fought sea people. Sea people carry firing metals and kill many."

Slowly, everything was coming to full view to me. While he told us his story, I knew then who the enemy was. We were quiet, even Ruby, letting Hek'oe talk. "I hated sea people... but my wife soul speak to me in dream. We had sea people in village eight of years ago when Dinom'eh can see but sea people greedy. Forced to take key and blind Dinom'eh. We kill them. Many of my people fear sea people will kill us one day. Small lights from night sky had vision, tell us about saviour… a peacemaker." He turned to Tashigi and smiled. "You." "B-but I'm just someone with a tattoo on." Tashigi smiled nervously and Hek'oe's smile faded. "But if there is I can do, I will do whatever. I understand what's going on now. I understood everything." Tashigi continued placing a hand on her chest. She smiled and nodded. "I will help."

"Hold on, you said you have the key?" Ruby asked and the tribe man nodded. "Yes." "I knew it!" Ruby cheered throwing his hands up to the air. "I will not give key." "Oh come on!" Ruby slapped his face. Hek'oe turned and walked us out of the burial land. We followed after him. "You need prove yourself. Everyone is doubtful, all leaders think you are fake that you all are same and you will not give En'gtuka. We need sword back." "Why do you need it?" Tashigi asked. "It is sign of courage. Many believe it hold great power. All warriors become brave and strong. Lights from night sky say it is good prophecy." Ruby placed his hands on his hips. "So yer saying it's got some crazy voodoo in it?" He asked. Hek'oe agreed.

"Then give us the key and we will bring it back to you." Tashigi added. "You not listen." Hek'oe sighed. "I cannot do that. We need to study you… give you lesson see if you are true. You need to have our trust. It is our way." Hek'oe brought us back to the village again. When I looked up, I saw the tall rock arches and the hanging green huts. I saw one warrior guarding on top of the arch, looking around. "Why don't you send in one of yer grunts and get the sword for yourself?" I asked looking at the head of the leader. "We tried but sea people weapon are very strong. So hard to kill. It less the people, many dead again. Our numbers dying." He turned to me and smiled. "We need someone who know them." He turned to Tashigi again and looked straight at her in the eyes. "If you really are Hng'uti nolo, will you help my people? Will you save Ungara Tey?"

Tashigi opened her mouth slightly then looked down. She still wasn't sure, still unsure if the task could really be laid down on her. I stepped forward and dropped a hand on her head and she grunted. "Yes. She will. We will help." I looked at Hek'oe and smiled. "Trust me."

****

Hek'oe gave us our second and final abode. We each had one of those green single huts by the lagoon and near the mushroom farm. We were separated. Before he gave Tashigi and I tasks to go out to the forest and search for herbs, he handed us brown and green hard wooden fabrics. I didn't know what it was but when I unfolded it, it became clear to me that it was tribal skirt, one that only covered the front and the back, the sides were open up to the hip. Tashigi had a brown bra and skirt while I Ruby and I owned a single skirt. Ruby complained saying that he too needed a bra. It embarrassed me so I asked the man in charge. He said we had to wear it, some people didn't like our clothes although some people also hated the fact that we were trying to blend in, to act like we were one of them.

When I wore it, I felt so naked! Hek'oe also gave us some rations like a hard gourde jug and some little bags. Luckily though we were allowed to bring our weapons. Hek'oe left with Ruby, again, saying that there was something wrong with Ruby's 'manliness'. I didn't argue with that, I thought it was better if the okama was away. But when I saw Tashigi fully dressed for our 'task', I wanted to be blind. It was the very fist time I saw her showing so much skin. Although the bra went horizontally on her chest, I hated the fact her stomach was showing, her thighs were showing, her upper chest, her ribs… damn. She was almost naked too. I quickly looked away and hooked the given bag-sack on my shoulder. "It suits you." She teased and I ignored.

We travelled together, jumping over thick lying logs on the ground and cutting though thick thorny bushes. I was glad to see that Tashigi was now wearing her ring and I knew that I should have talked to her about it, I didn't. I didn't want to ruin our friendship. And suddenly, she chuckled beside me then bit her lower lip. "What?" I asked. "Your bandana… it's still around your arm." "And?" I raised an eyebrow. She kept smiling but shook her head. "I'm sorry." She cleared her throat. "I know it's none of my business and I have no right to laugh but it's kinda' awkward and funny." She chuckled again. How was this funny? "Wh- I love my bandana okay. It's my signature."

She started walking around, pushing back bushes and looking under them for the herbs. "You seem to be having too many signatures." I walked towards her, shifting the sack to the other shoulder. "Your three sword style, your bandana, your name titles," She looked back. "And your green hair." Tashigi laughed then moved to the other bush. I sucked in my lips and listened to her murmuring by herself about finding it hard to search for herbs. She said she forgot how they looked like. "Do you remember?" She asked. While she kept talking, I was thinking about would it be alright if I tell her about myself? Rekindle my life story. She seems to be interested at me. "Melon?" She asked.

I came behind her and she suddenly turned. "Are you li-" But I surprised her by moving too close to her. She stopped and stepped back, looking at my chest then down to the side. "Do you… like stories?" I managed. She turned her back on me again and kept searching. "If they are interesting and meaningful." She answered. "Yeah." I replied back. Tashigi turned to the side and looked up to the canopies shading her eyes with her hand from the sun. "Then you're gonna tell me one?" She said, I could feel her grinning at that. "Why not? You tell me you trust me." I looked down and dropped the sack on the ground. "I," I took a deep breath. "I think I do too." "Okay, what story is it? About one of your adventures?" "About my past." I wasn't sure if I said the right word. Maybe I should have said, 'My life story' or 'The life of Roronoa Zoro'.

Tashigi abandoned a bush and looked back at me, her smile disappeared. "Really?" She asked, squinting. "Really, really." I nodded. She bent her neck to side, almost laying it on her shoulder looking at me. "Are you sure you really want to do this?" She asked again and I nodded. Tashigi straightened up, lowered her chin a little then smiled warmly. "Then I will treasure it." I brought her to a lying log covered with moss and we sat ourselves on it. I dropped the empty sack on the ground while Tashigi placed her hands at each sides, making her shoulders jutting up. "So, story of your life?" "Yeah, story of my life." I took a deep breath and ran my hands up and down my naked thighs. "Each of the signatures you said have a story behind them… except for the hair. I wasn't originally a _santou-ryu, _I was a _nitou-ryu. _I trained in a kendo dojo and started at the age of… roughly eleven years old. My class mates adored me- praised me, even my sensei. My sensei treated me as his son, it's kinda' creepy sometimes but I've gotten used to it."

"So you're saying you were always the head of your dojo even as a child? Like you were born the best? Wow." She lifted her eyebrows and rubbed her chin. She nodded pouting her lips. "Some people do walk into the light." "Not exactly. That wasn't my case. I wasn't the 'head'. Although I was strong, since I was a kid I have been training my ass off everyday. I wasn't the best. To be the best, I had to beat the best." "Which was?" She asked. I sat up straight. "Remember when I told you, you looked like a friend of mine? Take a wild guess?" I stared at her from the corner of my eyes. She looked up, trying to think. "What do you mean?" "The best was a 'girl'. I could _never _beat her. No one could. I was the only one with the potential but I never did. Our matches reached up to 2001 and I always lost. She was older than me and the sensei's daughter." I looked at my audience and she had her mouth opened and eyes widened. "No way." "And she was the exact copy of you."

Tashigi looked doubtful pulling back her face and frowning at me. "You're kidding me. No, you're making fun of me." "I'm not!" I grinned. "You are." "I swear to God." "See? I thought you don't believe in God?" "It's an expression!" I sighed. She kept shaking her head. "N-nah. You're mocking me, Roronoa Melon." "I'm not. I'm serious." Tashigi started to giggle, covering her mouth. "Omigod! Don't you feel guilty?" Her giggled turned into laughter, tossing her head back. Her laugh was contagious and I started chuckling too but I tried to calm her by hold her elbows but she shook me off. "I'm not kidding!" "I trusted you! There's no way someone like me could ever beat you." "No! No, look, I'm serious." I tried to look serious and she looked at me but coughed out a laugh. "Only 'cuz of that expression!" She jabbed my face with a finger. I pulled my face back and squeezed her finger and dropped it. "No, listen. Ssh! Be quiet, Blueberry. Quiet!" I covered her mouth finally and she did, but I could feel her still smiling.

When she became still, I continued. "Alright, okay. Her name was Kuina. So, she was so much like you." I stopped and stared at Tashigi's smiling face. "Shit. You too would have the same age, if she were alive." I looked away. "Alive?" "She's dead. I told you." Tashigi's smile was gone and she straightened up. "What do you mean… dead? How old?" There was a change of atmosphere. "Thirteen." "Only thirteen. No." She reacted so suddenly covering her mouth. "Z- Melon, I'm so sorry." She reached out to touch my knee. "I don't know if you're still making fun of me but, that's really sad." "Yeah." "She hasn't even reached full adult yet. That's really sad. What happened to her? Sickness?" "Nope, she fell down the stairs." I shook my head. "I don't know," I rubbed my jaw. "Probably tripped and fell. Can't believe she'd died like that." "Wow." Tashigi rested her elbows on her knees and her chin on her hands. "And before that happened, we had our final duel- I lost- I cried because I wanted to be the best swordsman in the world yet I could never beat a single girl. Then Kuina cried too because-" I paused to look in Tashigi's wide eyes.

"And?" She moved her face closer urging for me to continue. "She said the exact same words you said." I smiled tightly. I looked away, to the undergrowth. "She was that when she grows up, she will grow weaker and every boy in the class will beat her. She said her father told her that and she kept crying. First time I saw her with emotions and witnessed her weaken." I shook my head and scratched my ear. "Just a single goddamn sentence and she broke." I turned my head to Tashigi and she had her eyes cast down on the ground, one finger twirling a lock. "She must have felt so unhappy. Wow, she does sound like me." She blinked and looked at me. "And you never got to defeat her?" "Nope. I motivated her though. I said it didn't matter. What mattered was your passion for your dream and nothing else." I started chewing on my lip. Tashigi rested the side of her face on her knees while gaping at me. "That's really sad. I wonder how lonely she is now." "She shouldn't be lonely. I hold both our dreams. Wadou belongs to her." I tapped on the white sword and smiled. "And that's how I owned three swords."

Tashigi gasped and sat straight. "Oh?" "Yeah the sword you wish to take from my 'evil' hands." "I'm so sorry-" She blinked and looked down. "I would never- damn." She scratched her head. "So now you know." I sighed. "Yeah. What was her name? Kuina?" "Yes, just like the bird that you are. A flightless bird." "This is crazy." She smiled pinching her lip. "We both have the same name meaning, age and personality." "Yeah." I nodded. "'Kuina and Tashigi; the flightless birds.'" I quoted until she slapped me. "That's not funny! Respect you friend." Then she glared. "I do!" I rubbed my skin. She lay her chin on her knees and kept looking at me. "Then what?" "Our promise lives on… oh shit, yeah. I forgot to say we both promised that one of us will be the best swordsman. Then the accident happened." "No." She gasped again, that was probably the tenth gasp. "That's really sad! I would help too… if I could." "The hell are you talking about?" I grinned. "I mean, like, I would try to be the best for her too but… well-" She played with her fingers. "I'm kind of a weakling." "Oh shut up! Stop acting like Kuina!" "I am not!"

I sulked and she did too. We became quiet for awhile. Tashigi seemed to have liked my story, I liked how I shared it too. I have never shared any of this to my nakama. I never would have thought it would feel this good. Tashigi sighed softly and I looked at her. She smiled. "Tell me more. I'd like to know more about the notorious Roronoa Zoro 'aka' Melon boy." I grinned widely and poked her nose. "I knew you'd like my story." I licked my lips and sniffed. "Hmm, let's see. What else? Oh yeah." I looked down, searching for the beginning of my long scar. When I found it, I pointed on it and looked at her again. "See this scar? I got this after my battle with 'Taka no mi'. This was done by his large sword." Tashigi gasped again and her eyes opened so wide staring at my long scar. "Really?!" The good thing about talking with her was that she gets too engorged in the story and listens carefully. Problem was, most of the time, when I pause, there's an awkward silence. She would stay still and wait for me to talk. "Wow. I heard about your fight but I never thought you got this from him." She frowned then pulled back her face and looked away. Tashigi kept smiling while staring at the ground.

_"Feel it." _I sputtered softly searching for her eyes and hoping she'd look at me again. Her head shot to me and she frowned, her smile shaking until she grinned showing her full rows of teeth. Tashigi bit her lower lip and looked to the front again. "What are you saying, Me-" "Just feel it!" I grabbed her right wrist and made her palm touch my chest. Tashigi stared at my chest again, her eyes now so big and her face turned red. I let go of her slowly and I felt her fingertips caress the scar, running from the top to the bottom softly. I looked at her head, so round and blueberry like. Her lips were moving. Soon, her fingers came down to my ribs and I winced at the tickle. "Naha! Tha-that… uhum! Tickles." I cleared my throat. She sighed and looked up to me and I smiled, she looked so amazed. _"Kuina_..." I thought… but I thought wrong. This was not Kuina. The real Kuina was _dead. _"Sorry." She mumbled and tucked a lock behind her ear.

Tashigi smiled back at me. Her eyes dropped from my eyes down to my lips and I did the same, staring at her thin and chapped ones. She was studying my face, like I was an alien. I took my chance of doing too. We were like idiots, gaping at one another. It made me think like we were both alien to one another, curious about each other. I licked my lips again and looked at her eyes. "What are you thinking?" I asked. She opened her mouth and took a deep breath. "About the herbs," She breathed and grinned. "We really should collect them or the tribe will execute us." Then we chuckled together like life was a joke, like a simple tale. Everything was so different now. I felt like I was brought in a parallel dimension that this marine and I were ordinary friends. I was so confident around her, way confident than being with other women which was unusual, she was the least person I'd think to be being confident with. She was the person I could be confident with aside from my nakama… but with her, I can act like an idiot because she would not mind, because she too was an idiot. I no longer need to hide.

****

Evening came, promising for yet another day after it. When we reached the village, fire flies were floating around and the glowing pods hanging by the huts… well, glowed. The main light was from the blue moon. Everyone was having their dinner, Ruby, Tashigi and I included. The tribe didn't have any table or whatever so everyone just squatted on the ground with a green mat under our asses. Women came to distribute wooden bowls of food. Dinner consisted of mostly fruits and some creamy sauce, no meat or any of those full fat meals. Luffy would not survive around here. I looked up to the moon, caught about thinking about the crew, I've lost track of time, I don't even know how many days I've been away. Ruby started complaining about having a sore leg, he said Hek'oe made him hunt for fishes with the other warriors. "This is not how they should treat a celebrity! Get me out of here!" He cried. Tashigi started comforting him while I grumble and roll my eyes.

I turned to Hek'oe, who was situated beside me. "Yo, do you have beer?" He stared at me. "You know, liquor?" I asked again. "Yes, we do. But sea people have weak stomach. I do not think you last long." "Aw,c'mon. I was born to drink. I'll go for it." I grinned. "I apologize." Hek'oe declined much to my dismay. "Hahaha!" There was a familiar laugh and I turned my head. Not too far from where I was, Ki'teh and his other painted monkey buddies were snickering at me. He took a sip from his bowl and lifted his chin at me. "Let the idiot feed his curiosity, father. We shall see if he is man enough!" He stood up and walked to me. "We shall see if sea people are strong than Ungara men." He stood in front of me and I looked down and cleaned my ear. Hek'oe sighed. "Fine." The warriors howled in excitement. Hek'oe called for a woman who then brought in four large jugs and two small cups. Ki'teh sat in front of me, giving me an evil look. Hek'oe poured a liquid from the jug to each of our cups.

"Who ever get two jugs finish is winner." Hek'oe said. "Tshehe!" Ki'teh shook his head then drank the liquor and slammed the cup down to the ground. Shit, this was going to be so easy, he doesn't know who he's dealing with. I drank too and quickly as I downed it, I coughed and wiped my chin. "The fuck?!" I growled. It didn't taste like anything I had before. It didn't had any smell but once it's down your throat, it felt like you drank a mixture of different types of tequila. "Zoro, don't do this." Tashigi came beside me. "This is idiotic." I poured in more liquor from the jug and drank from the cup again. "Stop it. You're only thinking about your pride and reputation!" She hissed. "You don't even know what this will do to you!" Oh I knew what this piss was doing to me. After I had five rounds, my head started spinning, I felt my throat burning and I continued coughing. Ki'teh toss the cup behind him and grabbed one jug and started chugging the whole thing down. I watched him like an idiot. The asshole didn't stop, he wasn't even breathing until he dropped the jug on the ground and howled, the others howled with him.

"Son of a b-" I grabbed one of the jugs too and copied what he did. The liquid filled my throat in an instant and suddenly, my world became so woozy. While I was looking up, all the fireflies lights whirled into spiral blurs. I dropped the jug and my eyes rolled back and before I fell on the ground, I recovered my composure and balanced myself with my hands. All the idiots kept howling. Soon, I felt so nauseated then the next, I felt Tashigi's body behind me, her hands on my shoulders. Shit, only five cups and I'm already about to die? This is fucked up. "Come on…" Tashigi whispered pulling me up and I was forced to move on my legs. She hooked one arm over her neck and wobbled when I put all my weight on her. I looked back to the celebrating monkeys. "Crazy mother fucker…" I was tongue twisted, it sounded like I was swallowing my words. "I'll get you, tree-fucking- frog!" I pointed back at him but Tashigi pulled me. "Would you just stop it?!" She pulled me again.

My legs were shaking and now and again I would drag Tashigi from side to side and hear her grunt. I laughed. "Sorry, sorry!" I apologized. I was loosing my mind and soon, drowsiness took over me. While she brought me to wherever she was taking me, my eyes were closed and I could feel myself smiling. "Where… where's okama?" I asked. "He went back to his hut and slept which we should be doing because Hek'oe will need us early in the morning tomorrow." She pulled my arm and we both wobbled. "Where here, Zoro." She whispered and I forced my eye lids to open up. The only thing I saw was the inside of my green hut and then I felt my body hit the rubbery floor and I bounced. Tashigi pushed away my arm from her neck. I opened my eyes again and found her leaving so I reached out my hand and grabbed her wrist. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath and wiped my nose. "Stay… hmhm, Blueberry." I chuckled. She was quiet then I felt the floating hammock-like floor move. That's when I knew she sat beside me. "Okay." She sighed. With my hand on her wrist, I dropped it on my head. "Pet me like I do to Chopper." My tongue was so twisted so thick in my mouth, I couldn't understand what I was saying.

I ran her hand on my head until I was weakening and she did it for me. Tashigi started running her hand from my forehead across my head. She started raking her fingers on my hair and it felt good, I smiled. She made me lie on the bouncy floor properly with my left hand by my side and the other on my stomach. I closed my half opened eyes and kept smiling. Tashigi kept petting me. I was aware of everything was doing but my mind became too woozy. I couldn't tell if I was dreaming or not. "Zoro…" She whispered in the dark. "Melon." I was too tired to answer back or manage a hum. Then she took off her hand and the next, she caressed my cheek so softly. "I'm so happy…" I felt her breath so close to me. "I will never hurt you." She continued. "And… _I miss you_." My mind clicked on that one, I felt myself frown.

I knew I had to open my eyes but I couldn't. My eyelids were too heavy. I felt her aura closer this time, I don't know what was going closer to my face, her hand maybe, but I'm not sure. I waited for whatever it was to hit my face, but nothing. Instead, I felt her move back and before she left, she touched the side of my cheek again and whispered finally...

"Good night, handsome."

**

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**

Coming up…

I grin and cleared my throat. "Ahem! Final question, though. Do you find me extremely attractive?"  
She slapped my knee and cleared her throat but ended up gagging. "Uhum! I think you are very hot." She answered then covered her mouth from a smile.

There comes a time in every life when the world gets quiet and the only thing left is your own heart beat. So you better learn to know the sound of it. Otherwise, you'll never understand what its saying. I know exactly what my heart was telling me…


	12. You look at me

**Author's note; **Jeez, this is annoying me so. Somtimes I can't think of anything to put in.

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**Chapter 12; "You look at me"**

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When I woke up the next morning, from the heat, the first thing I saw was Ruby's dark face staring back at me. My eyes opened widely and I toss myself to the other side of the hut. The hut shuddered and I blinked a couple of times then recovered my composure. I craned my head forwards and looked up to see the sun on its highest. It was another bright morning. "Ruby!" I gasped. "Why didn't you wake me up?!" He just stared back at me with his mouth opened slightly. "You looked so serene..." Was his answer. I shook my head and pushed him to the side. Quickly, I jumped off the hut while brushing my short hair with my fingers running them again and again. Argh! This is so annoying! I'm late. I almost slept through the morning and now I am so late for hunting.

While jogging, I searched for Tashigi and Hek'oe, and as if on cue, I found them grouping with six young warriors with Ki'teh and his painted buddies. I huffed and ran faster towards them. They must have heard my heavy foot steps when they turned back to me. Hek'oe smiled at my arrival. I stopped in font of slightly out of breath. "Morning. I'm so sorry I'm late." I swallowed and stood up straight. I couldn't help but look at my new nemeses, Ki'teh grimaced at me. "We are all here? We must go begin our journey." Hek'oe announced turning around and started walking while muttering in their language.

Shit, I'm so fucking disorganized. I have a bad morning breath, my hair's standing everywhere, my eyes are still too droopy and I have no breakfast. We were walking beside the stream, walking far away from the lively village. I looked at my side to Tashigi and it was clear that she was pissed off. "If you didn't got drunk last night we never would have waited for you!" She rasped quietly. "What are you so mad about?" I whispered back harshly. She looked up to me, eyes flaring. "I didn't want you to be late. We were so close to leaving you. I didn't want to leave without you, Roronoa." I sighed heavily and rolled my eyes. I looked down to my waist after feeling that there was something uncomfortable about it. Just as I have been expecting, my tribal skirt was tilted to the side so I had to adjust it. It wasn't only so revealing, it was also quite loose, sometimes I could feel it falling down lower to my thighs I had to pull it up now and again.

"Where are we going anyway?" I asked. "We're hunting and it's gonna be our first hunt." Tashigi answered back, still sounding annoyed. "So pay attention." "Pssh!" I snorted. "What's the big deal? We're just gonna flippin' hit a deer in the butt, right?" She shook her head, even annoyed. "I don't know, okay?" Maybe I shouldn't talk for awhile, I'm making her life even harder than I guess it is. Hek'oe brought us into the thick forest. The giant trees shared spaces with some mean looking boulders on every corners, most were covered by vines and mosses. Soon, we were walking between valleys of giant rocks, some trees grew on them. It was hard to differentiate between a tall rock and a tree.

Up ahead of us, I could see we were about to stop by a rocky cliff. I couldn't see what was beyond, there was a thick mist. Hek'oe, who was the lead, stopped. I stepped to the side to take a look and just by the cliff, large branches, or maybe roots, were sticking out from it, some were a few feet away reaching out to the cliff. They were mossy and as usual black, they acted as bridges. When the mist faded away did I realized that they were branches from even larger and taller trees. The trees reached the height of the cliff so the branches were in level with the cliff. We were really high from the ground that when I looked under the banches, I couldn't see anything at all. The branches were so thick and so were the tree trunks, some vines were also hanging from the branches over us with some round fruits on them. Hek'oe jumped to one branch and started walking over it, soon the others followed. Ki'teh and his buddies jumped like monkeys to one branch to another then Tashigi and I were left behind. I knew Tashigi would have problems with this but then she stepped back, ran forward and jumped to the branch. I did the same, feeling the moss under my bare feet, it was damp.

We started walking, Tashigi in front of me. Then suddenly, she wobbled opening her arms to her side for balance. I reached out for her back in case but she balanced herself just right. I sighed in relief and shook my head. Jeez, it's like babysitting a full grown woman. When I looked to the front, Tashigi and I were falling behind. Hek'oe and his young warriors started jogging on the canopies, running from a long branch then jumping to the other that interlinked it. We jogged after them, but since we were not natives, we were careful. The feeling I had was different. I felt myself much lighter in this region. I looked down, the leaves on the branches under us were so thick I couldn't see what was underneath us at all. I looked to the front and stared at Tashigi's pale back. I need to be ready to grab her if she falls, she's a clumsy idiot, she needs assistance. The island never ceased to amaze me so I started to wonder what our future 'explorations' may bring us. All of these seemed so fascinating. It was like I was brought in a different world, like one of those pictures I saw in fairytale books.

_"Prr! Prr! Prr!" _I looked back and up. Over us, to the thinner branches, monkeys with red and orange tints were swinging from one branch to another with their long arms. Some looked down on us but made no reaction. They were tossing their arms to the front almost stretching and they reminded me of Luffy, or Ki'teh. I grinned. The idiot started racing with the monkeys but he failed. Serves him right. "Ahaha!" Tashigi laughed and jumped to the nearby branch. I did the same, always running after her. Suddenly, she ran so fast and jumped while reaching out both arms to a normal sized branch and heaved herself up. She landed on another far away branch and started running. I didn't know she could do that. I stopped dead on my tracks looked around and found a standing branch. I ran to it, jumped then kicked it and just like what the woman did, I reached out to the thin branch and swing myself forward and landed on the same piece of thick wood. I ran faster to catch up with her. "Didn't saw that one coming!" I grinned. "Yeah well, I'm a marine!" She chuckled.

We started sliding on the moss happily. I looked up once again when a black straight object took my attention. On the higher part of the canopy, there were small huts and beside them were tribal people. They were looking down to us while holding their spears. I thought they'd attack me and Tashigi but they didn't. They stared down at us like we were just one of them. All of us headed on one branch where it connected down to the ground, this was our exit from the 'tree world'. One by one we slid down with the help of the wet moss and jumped down to the hard leafy ground. The young warriors laughed and even though I knew it was childish of me to follow, I did anyway. It was fun. To where we were going, the trees' numbers slowly decreased and what took over their place were long reeds, about ten feet tall. I looked back Ki'teh and his friends climbed up to a much shorter tree and stood by their branches. They were looking forward, over the reeds where we, on the ground, couldn't see at all.

The next, I heard deep animal cries which sounded like noises from cows, but the ones I heard were deeper. It sounded like chicken cawing but had deeper voices. Hek'oe spoke in their language and the six young warriors formed a straight line, standing beside each other. "What's going on?" I asked Tashigi. "I think we're about to hunt." She answered, looking at Hek'oe. Hek'oe smiled when he saw us, I nodded. "You will hunt in pairs. Be ready." He said and waked back to speak to his kids again. I heard chuckles from the back, to where Ki'teh was. I looked back to them and I just saw him elbowing his friend and they laughed down at us. "Feck you." I hissed and Tashigi nudge me. "Focus." She whispered. Hek'oe looked at us again. "You will go first. Hunt for the people in village for food." The young warriors started cheering for us, which I think was kind of nice.

"Okay," I flexed back my arms. "Let's get this over with." Just then Hek'oe dropped a hand on my shoulder. I looked back to him. "You will use spear. Your swords, I will hold." He handed us two weak looking spears with a pointed rock on the tip with some feather decorations. "Aw, c'mon." I moaned and took off my swords and gave it to him. I held on the spear and looked at it. "Damn, this is gonna ruin my day." "Let's go." Tashigi challenged and walk in front of me and took the lead. We both walked through the long reeds, red large flowers were growing from the ground making it even harder for us to navigate through. We started pushing the reeds back and some slapped my face. "Ack! Shit!" I growled. Tashigi looked back at me snarling. "Be quiet! We need to stealth attack... whatever is around here." She turned to the front again, pointing her spear forward while walking slowly. "If we attack silently, we'll be sav-" Just then her spear was stuck on a nearby round red flower. "Oh crap..." She mouthed and tried to pull it back.

Just then, the flower shuddered and floated up. We both stepped back. It wasn't a flower but a round head, a head of a giant ostrich but much bigger for an ostrich. It looked like one of those prehistoric ostrich, with a large body, thick legs and short wings. _"Kaaah!" _It yelled at us flapping it's short wings. It suddenly pulled back its head and shot it down to us. Tashigi and I scattered from one another, the thick beak made a whole on the ground. It looked at me, yelled and started pecking down on me again. "Shit!" I yelled and ran away from it pushing my way through the reeds until I reached a plain area. I stopped after knowing that I just bought myself in a more dangerous place. I was surrounded by a flock of those giant land birds. They all screamed and I ran away when most of them chase after me, trying to peck me to die. Some ran away into the woods. I kept dodging while running far to a safer place. I looked around, searching for Tashigi but all I could see were long thick chicken legs and dust rising up to block my eyesight.

I jumped up and landed on a back of a bird. I kept jumping from one bird to another while searching for Tashigi, but I could not locate her. I toss away my spear and when I hit the ground, I reached my hands to the side and clawed them. _"Mutou-ryu Tatsumaki!" _I yelled and twisted my body. As if there was a tornado, all the birds went flying up to the air with some soil dust with them. I covered my eyes and held my breath but even so I knew I should look for Tashigi. And just as fast as my attack lifted up the birds, they all came crashing down on the ground with a loud thud and a quake. I stepped back but then my left leg slipped when it didn't hit on land. My body fell backwards and when I looked back, I knew I was falling down on a cliff. I reached out on some rocks and roots. The cliff was not the same as the cliff we reached before. This was one of the ends of the floating island. I looked down, there were some small trees sprouting from the cliff and under them was the large dark ocean waiting to swallow me.

I'll definitely die if I fall down here. I turned my head to the front and reached out for something to hold on to but then a bird's head suddenly peeked out and stared at me. _"Kyeek!" _It squealed and started pecking down on me again. I kept dodging and it was hard because I had my eyes closed, dust was spraying on my face. "Argh! Stop!" I growled, but because of the bird brain that it was, it didn't stop instead, it pulled back it's head and stabbed me on the right arm. "Aaaah!" I yelled heartily. When I opened my eyes, I saw Tashigi's silhouette jump beside the bird. She twisted herself to the side and with her spear, she stabbed the bird in the head. The bird toss itself back and started shaking on the ground. When the earth shuddered, the root that my left hand was holding on to snapped. "Gaah!" I yelled again when the pain in my bleeding right arm took flight. I clawed on some rocks for support but they all fell down on me to the ocean.

"Zoro!!" Tashigi cried and dove down to the ground in front of me. She pulled my left arm and dragged me up to safety. I pulled myself too and when I finally got off the cliff, I rolled on the ground, cradling my right wounded arm. I started breathing like hell, the pain was excruciating. "Zoro! Zoro, are you okay!?" Tashigi came beside me, kneeling. She pushed me up and made me lean on her knee. "Oh- no! Zo- you're hurt!" She panicked after witnessing my injury. I took a deep breath and grumbled. "Calm down. Calm down!" I yelled and grinned. "I'm okay!" I laughed and turned to the dead bird. "And we got our hunt." "You're bleeding so much, Zoro!" She yelled again. She was right, I was bleeding so much, there was so much blood it started spilling on her thighs. I frowned at her, she looked like she was about to cry. It was supposed to be me crying not her. "Sh- damn, I was so worried! We have to do something or this will get infected!"

While she kept panicking, I was staring at her face looking like an ignorant kid. It was the first time I've seen her looked so scared, I was on the verge of laughing. 'Is she always like this?' I asked myself which was a useless thing to do. I sat on my own, taking my back off her knee then took off my bandana. "Here. Tie this around the wound, would you?" I said giving her the cloth. "And keep your mouth shut. You're giving me a headache." She nodded, took the bandana and wrapped it around my bleeding wound. I looked to the open ocean. I couldn't believe we've reached one of the edges of the island. There were low floating clouds nearby and it felt like I was in heaven. When Tashigi finished, she touched my shoulder making me look at her.

"Zoro, are you sure you're okay?" She asked, looking directly in my eyes. She looked at my head and touched it. "You didn't hit your head, did you?" She continued. I shook my head and grabbed her hand. "Blueberry, I'm okay." I dropped her hand and stood up while she followed. "You need to calm down. You worry too much." Tashigi dropped her gaze, frowning. "N- I was… just, right. Yeah." She stammered shaking her head to one side like she was realizing something. She looked up to me again and sighed. "I thought you were gonna die." "Yeah, I get that a lot." "I'm just happy to see you're alive." She turned on her heel and walked to the dead bird and took off the spear from its head. Then she grabbed two thick feathers sprouting from the bird's head and drag it to where Hek'oe and the others were coming towards us.

That was how my day began. When the six young warriors had their hunt, Hek'oe brought us to the 'tree village' where he introduced us to the doubting natives. They dismembered our kills and Hek'oe gave them some pieces as thanks. Each of us carried a sack full of fresh meat and we all went back to the village. We used the thick branches as our way of transport. "It is not main village," Hek'oe answered after Tashigi asked. "Main village is far. More beautiful." He took a glance at Tashigi with his signature smile. "Where sword key is." Tashigi ran beside him. "Why can't we go there?" Hek'oe shook his head. "Sea people not allowed in _Lukey _that is another reason you have to be true then we bring you to main village, where leaders are." It was my turn to butt in. "How did you come to learn our language?" "Sea people very good at teaching. They teach most adults but only few children."

"Do they speak your language?" Tashigi asked. "Only few." Hek'oe answered looking up to the fruits. Once we were on the village, Hek'oe told us we could do whatever we wanted he said the next 'mission' was to be in the afternoon. The young warriors hanged the raw meat by some thin pieces of wood to dry, most women looked happy. It was a typical village with children playing nearby, I was observing beside the lagoon sitting on a grey boulder. From the largest hut, which was probably the storage room, Tashigi came out with a sack full of meat, she was together with other older women. She stopped in front of the propped wood hangers and she started taking out meat one by one, hanging them. She kept smiling at them, even though they didn't return it. That was sad. She was also very polite, always bowing at them while they looked afraid of her.

I sighed, looking at her I was the one who was feeling sorry. I guess she's really trying her best to earn their trust. My eyes examined her, she was thin yet muscular, she was too slim, only a slight curve from above and mid lower. I went lower until I saw her sword. My face broke into a smile. I didn't noticed before that he sword was green, my colour. That was a scary coincidence. Some kids went close from her back and poked her calf with a twig, when she turned, they backed away. Tashigi in return laughed and scratched the calf then took out a round fruit from the woven sack-like pouch hoisted across on her back and gave it to them. They took it and run off somewhere. She stared after them with her bloody arms by her side, she looked like she murdered someone.

Then I started asking myself; 'Would Kuina be like her? Would she too be a marine? Would she be as kind as Tashigi?' all these questions remained a mystery forever. Tashigi turned and took a second glance when she saw me, I propped myself straight, raised one hand and mouth 'hi' to her. Her eyes became large then she forced a smile and turned away quickly. I guess she didn't saw that coming, I didn't too. "Uhum~" I heard someone beside me. It was Ruby, he sat beside. He looked different without his make up on, he looked more masculine, with his dark skin and muscular build. He pouted while rubbing his chin, looking at me. "Someone has 'goo-goo' eyes on Tash-Tash." He smirked. I shot a nervous look at him, one that I thought I'd never do to him in my entire life.

I struggled to kept a straight expression, looking forward, I cleared my throat. "What are you talking about?" I asked. He toss his hands up and sighed anxiously. From the far corner of my eyes, some young hunters started calling him. Ruby got up and waved at them. But before he left, he placed his arms akimbo and raised an eyebrow at me. "Fine, deny it. I saw you smile at her." He smiled slyly. "And I saw how she looks at you." He turned, tossing his hand back. "Didn't think a marine and a pirate would share such a relationship. If this gets serious," Before he left he added, "You two, are so dead." Ruby shook his head. It left me thinking again. Would it be alright if we were 'friends'? Maybe it is, but how come I'm feeling that there is something wrong about it. I don't know. I don't want to think anymore, it's only going to cause me problems. Who gives a shit anyway?

'Its okay, Tashigi and I are just friends.' I told myself. That's all it is, I'm not gonna be swayed by whatever inevitable emotion. If I control and keep it this way, everything's gonna be okay. I won't loose control, I won't fall into the dark pits of that emotion I know Ruby was talking about; _love. _I looked at the emerald moss by my feet, I was… afraid. No not completely. Just unsure. I was so clouded by too much emotion I didn't notice someone was standing by my side if it wasn't for the looming shadow. My head shot up to see Tashigi. "M-Melon," She started, turning red, maybe from the heat. I stood up lifting an eyebrow at the same time. She dropped her gaze down to my chest taking in a deep breath. "I have an ointment for your wound." She sidestepped and looked at me again. "Let's go to your hut."

I followed as she walked me to my hut. I hated myself for feeling shaken. No, embarrass. Crap, I can't even pick the right words. I was shaking for no reason, then again maybe I have the reason yet I didn't want to accept it. Agh, I'm thinking too much. In the hut, we sat opposite to each other, the floating weaved floor swaying each time we moved. I folded my legs and she did the same, on top of her legs was a coconut shell with some green goo in it, a green woven bandage and beside her was a wooden basin with water. Tashigi kept a neutral expression, she was not looking at me again when she took my right arm and lay down my hand on her knee. Slowly, she reached out to untie my bandana and when she unrolled it, blood was forming strings sticking on the fabric and I winced at the pain.

I gnashed my teeth and looked at her, she shared the same emotion I had, grimacing at the ugly deep wound. Tashigi was biting on her lower lip then she took off the cloth and dropped it on the water basin, blood diffusing with the water. She dropped her hands to her side and looked at me with an emotion I suddenly knew so well. "Does it hurt?" She asked softly like a calming mother. I shook my head. From her side she took a damp cloth and started cleaning the sides of the bruising wound. "Tell me if it hurts, okay?" She soothed. "Yeah." I gagged. She kept wiping the edges brushing off the dried blood and staining the cloth. "Aah!" I pretended to scream. "Oh! Sorry!" She took off her hand with the cloth and lifted it to her sides and looked at me. "I'm so sorry!" Tashigi cried. "Ahehe! Just kidding." I laughed. "You just looked so serious, I couldn't help it." I chuckled then cleared my throat. "Keep going. It doesn't hurt." When I looked at her, her expression softened and I didn't know what she would do next.

It was clear that she was fighting off something inside her. But she shook her head and bent down to my arm again. "Don't…do that." She scolded and started cleaning again. Tashigi looked so focus wiping every corners and every dried blood. She slowly licked her lips making me bite my own. _"Ssh, Zoro, it's just me…" _Her voice echoes again and I moaned quietly looking away. "Eew. Look at that." She sat back. My wound was now clean and I could see the pecked flesh. The skin was opened and I could see my red flesh inside. Yeah it was disgusting. "We need to close this." Tashigi looked at me but blinked and dropped the blood cloth in the water too. "I should tell Hek'oe that you're going to be excused for our next 'mission'." I frowned. "It's okay, it's not like I've never been hurt all my life." Tashigi only shook her head. "What kind of a human being can withstand numerous fatal injuries?" Then she smiled at me. "You're unbelievable." With her thumb, she wiped off an excess blood. Her smile disappeared and she looked at me seriously. "Z- Melon, you need to take care of yourself. One day because of your carelessness, you'll… die." Her voice changed pitch and came into a soft whisper. With her index finger, she wiped the blood from her thumb. "People who loves you."

I inhaled and lay my head on my shoulder while looking at her. I kept staring at her. "Now stay put. I'm gonna dab on some ointment on your wound." She dipped two fingers and scooped a volume of the goo. She started wiping it first on the sides then in strokes on the wound. I liked the way I was nursed carefully, she was always so gentle, almost like Chopper, but if it was him here, we would have fought a lot. Soon, the wound was glossy with the ointment then she took the bandage and unrolled it and covered my arm with it. She finished by tying it into a knot then she smiled, tapping a finger on the finished work gently. "There! It's cleaned and fixed." She smiled happily up to me. "It will be as good as n-" But she chocked at that and stopped herself.

Tashigi stared into my arm and I wondered if something was wrong. I waited but she looked scared… or lonely? I don't know. She was too hard to read. "Uhm, yeah." She nodded and smiled at me again. I didn't like her mood swings anymore so I touched her head and made her look at me. I winked. "Thank you." She pulled her face and nodded only once and turned to gathering her things again. While she did it, I left the hut and looked around my surroundings. I tilted myself to the side, peeking secretly at Tashigi from inside the hut. She looked mad and then she started hitting the side of her head with one hand scowling. I was confused, the only words I heard were '… wake up!' she rasped. I turned to the front, I knew my expression was readable. What is going on with her? I heard her footsteps getting closer so I shook away the expression on my face and looked back to her. She came to a halt when she looked up to me, probably surprised. I ignored her and took the large empty basin from her and carried the heavier loads for her.

I took my bandana off the basin and stuck in on the waist of my skirt. I smiled down at her. "I need to wash this." "What are you still doing around here?" She asked, we began walking. "Don't you want to walk around?" I shrugged. "I decided I wanted to keep talking. Ask me questions." I looked up to the swaying green huts under the stone arches. "It could be anything you want." "Oh… alright." Tashigi snapped, dropping her head. "Okay, hm, let's see. This is quite interesting!" She chuckled. "What's up with Mugiwara's scar under his left eye?" That I didn't know the answer, come to think of it, I never asked Luffy about it. "I don't know. Probably an idiotic thing he did in the past. Next." "Who was… the hardest person you fought?" "Taka no mi. He gave me fucking long scar for god's sake." "Yeah, I guess that one's obvious." She shrugged.

"Let's see," She rubbed her chin. "What do you do when you're in your ship?" Tashigi continued asking, smiling up at me. "Mostly I train if not, I sleep." When I stopped there, she gave me wry look. "That's it?" "I wash the dishes sometimes…?" My answer sounded like a question. She lifted her chin. "You wash dishes? Okay." Her smile widened then she bit her lower lip and skipped over a rock. "That's interesting. Melon boy, aka Roronoa Zoro washes dishes." She teased. We kept quiet for a short time, letting the natural noises of the village and the rainforest take in charge. I looked around while we walked, nothing interesting was happening, I couldn't even see Ruby at all. Soon, we reached the large storage hut and went in to bring back the aids Tashigi took. For the first time when Tashigi smiled at them, the old women smiled back, nervously though.

We left and I brought her to a rocky shore in the lagoon. From the opposite side, where a thin waterfall was located, children were playing and swimming at the same time. We propped ourselves on some boulders and I started soaking my bloody bandana. Tashigi sat directly in front of me, her knees on her chest. "I can't think of anything to ask." She said and I squeezed off the water from my cloth. I started wrapping it around my left bicep. I licked my lips and looked at my dirty barefoot. "Do you… miss your nakama?" Tashigi whispered. Slowly, I lifted my eyes and stared at her. "Always." I replied. I stared down to her knees then to her bony feet. "Do you miss Smoker and pink lady?" I asked in return. Tashigi lifted her lower lip and moved to her side. "Sometimes… but-" She stopped and looked at the playing kids. "Not… now, I guess. I just," She shook her head and decided to clean her nails. "I don't want to go back as becoming a marine yet." "Is it lonely being a marine?" I asked. Suddenly, our talks became whispers. Tashigi squinted. "It's boring sometimes but you just have to keep in mind that the civilians are happy that you exist to protect them. It makes you motivated." She grinned, flashing her pearly whites.

I had to get off the sentimental conversation. This was not my thing. If I continue, I would be wordless. I grin and cleared my throat. "Ahem! Final question, though. Do you find me extremely attractive?" I licked my lips. Just as expected, her face brightened and her smile became wider. "Oh? Ahihi!" She started laughing hysterically tossing her head back and laughing to the sky. I blushed and played with my fingers. "Hehe! I'm just playing with you. You don't have to answer that, you fool." I answered scratching my temple. "Yeah- no!" She slapped my knee and cleared her throat but ended up gagging. "Uhum! I think you are very hot." She answered then covered her mouth from a smile.

I started tossing pebbles to the water. We kept chuckling until it turned into quiet giggles and she coughed. From my peripheral vision, I sensed Tashigi watching me with her chin on her palm. I twisted my neck to look back at her and I wiggled my eyebrows. "What? Are you falling in love with me?" I teased once again, pulling back my upper lips for a snarling smile. She pulled back and made a face at me. "Oh stop." She shook her head. "Does your arm still hurt?" She asked. "No." I was loving our conversation. Day after day, it gets better and better, maybe not sooner we'll grow fond of each other. So my 'friendship' plan did work. I was also loving the fact the Ruby was not around to keep bugging me. I liked being around her, she always makes up interesting talks.

****

During twilight, Hek'oe brought us -Ruby included, back to the 'tree village'. Ki'teh and his other friends came too. They gave us one bigger hut to live on of course, we were high above from the unknown ground. Through our way, Hek'oe told us that we had to pass one more village to get to the main so we still have a long way to go. On the tree tops, it was dark, darker than it was this morning. "I need to get my beauty sleep." Ruby announced and sprawled on one part of the hut. Tashigi and I kept awake and sat by the edge of the hut with our legs hanging in the air. When darkness finally enveloped the usual source of light were from the hanging glowing pods and with the faint lights of the fireflies. The blue moon's light spilled and rushed through the holes of the upper tree tops.

Tashigi sucked in air. "This is impossible." She sighed staring down to the ground of people underneath us. The tribal people of the area were all gathering around a mountain of glowing pods. It looked like one of those small ant hills but this was different. It served as the 'bon-fire' for the people. Beside the glowing hill, two couples were performing a dance and on another branch were people who played the musical instruments with drums and flutes. "What?" I asked Tashigi again, but was so distracted by the performers. "All these." She smiled, one part of her face glimmered when a firefly floated by. "Everything seems too good to be true." "Am I too good to be true?" Once again my arrogance made me put myself on her shoes.

The drum rolls stopped altogether with the dancers. They bowed and recited in their language. They were talking quietly in the night and laughed softly. "Yeah." Tashigi answered and I almost forgot what I asked. I licked my dry lips and slowly rolled my eye balls to where her face was clear. There comes a time in every life when the world gets quiet and the only thing left is your own heart beat. So you better learn to know the sound of it. Otherwise, you'll never understand what its saying. "Oh wow!" She marvelled, eyes widening. I looked down to the dancers and they had two pods on each of their hands. They started dancing like robots, stopping on every sides. I turned my eyes to Tashigi's happy face again and I knew exactly what my heart was telling me…

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Coming up…

This time she looked like she was in a daze, smiling with droopy eyes. She looked like she was drunk. "Why are you staring at me, Ms. Blueberry marine?" I asked lifting my eyebrows. Tashigi took a deep breath and moved her eyes to my lips. "You're just too cute it's hard to ignore you."

-

Then quietly and softly I whispered, "Ssh, Tashigi. It's just me." I chuckled.


	13. With those eyes

**Author's note; **Damn, I was reading some other fics and their's were so beautifully written! With all those big words and all. I was damn jealous. Oh,well. Harsh life. I can only make up simple sentence, okay, pips? Uhm, yeah. Life's getting in the way as usual. So I may not update sooner. Am sorry. But holla! And thanks fer everything!

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**Chapter 13; "With those eyes"**

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Surprisingly, I woke up early unlike most of the other days. The breeze was cool and everything lay peacefully, only the intermitting noises of those flying large birds I could hear. I didn't remembered how I fell asleep, probably hypnotized by the music of the people. I sat tremulous on my ass and scratched my back and at the same time looking back to the sleeping figures of Tashigi and Ruby. My mouth opened for a yawn and I stood up and walked to the edge of the hut. It was still dawn and of course the forest was still dark, the gigantic monster-like trees casting black shadows everywhere. Two tribal men were up, already sweeping off fallen leaves from the wide branches that served as the only way for transportation. So many thick branches were sticking out of everywhere, almost like complicated webs.

Some fireflies were still floating everywhere, one desperately fluttered towards me and landed softly on my hand I didn't even felt it at all. I frowned wanting to slap it off but then I stopped. Yeah, that would be animal cruelty... or insect. I wonder what's in store for us for today. I started looking up, checking what was around again but when I turned my attention to my upper right, I saw the man who was going to be the cause of my crappy day. Ki'teh was up too and he made a low growl after seeing me. But he dislodged and turned back to somewhere else. Since my head was still up, I noticed a thick bouquet of those circular fruits that hanged from the red vines. I reached out for one and when I pulled it off, some ants fell down on me.

I smacked them all away and started to bite on the fruit. It was hard, like a coconut shell. I stopped biting on it and started opening it, but it was too thick. Someone, from the upper branch just over me, jumped. I turned to see Hek'oe, his feet booming when it hit the hard wood. "Good morning, Zoroh. I see you picking _'ivek _fruit." He nodded at me. "Yeah morning to you too." I rasped while trying to budge the stubborn fruit open with my fingers. "Let me help." Hek'oe reached out his hand for the fruit and I handed it to him. He reached down for the knife on his waist and with its handle, he smacked the shell and it cracked in a perfect half. Juice sprouts and he quickly handed it to me. I looked at it. The flesh was purple and so thick. I didn't waste any time and fed my curiosity taking a large bite. It was sweet, too sweet! I pulled back, purple juice trickling from the corner of my lip.

"Come, Zoroh." Hek'oe turned around and walked through the interlinked branch. I followed, still scooping from the sweet round fruit. As we walked through the dark morning, many warriors were up one by one. I watched them like a curious child. "Let us talk." Hek'oe slightly turned back but nonetheless kept walking. "You look like very strong man. I like your spirit. Very strong and fearless." "Thank you." I called out. "That is why I want you to understand our way and everything around us." He brought me to an area where there were more hanging red vines and round orange fruit. He lifted his arms, grabbed on them and started climbing effortlessly. I licked my juicy lips and toss the empty fruit shells and reached out for some vines to climb on to. He kept going up so I did the same, ascending myself, the cool breeze sending shivers to my naked body.

We both reached the upper canopies and when Hek'oe landed on another branch, he jogged to the thick mangled tree trunk and grabbed on some thick sticking vines of ivy. I came after him, only focusing on the pulse of the climb not looking back or down at all. Soon though we both seem to have reached the top of one of the rainforest's tallest trees. There was light now and the breeze blew on us stronger, bird noises also grew louder. Around us, the large multicoloured birds I kept seeing now and again were standing on some tree branches. Yes, they were huge, maybe four meters in height. Some started squawking on us and just flew away shyly. From where we were standing, we could see everything, the tree tops of the shorter trees, the ocean, the horizon and the other floating islands. It was a perfect view. A flock of birds flew from behind us we had to pull ourselves down. They casting strong vibrations from every tree branches and when they left, they shed their feathers floating down on us. I looked after them flying with characteristic arrogance.

I grinned. "Damn!" "Yes." Hek'oe agreed, although I'm sure he doesn't know what it means. He pointed his long hand and my eyes followed to where he was pointing at. "That island where I used to live. But we move. I ask for your help because I want my island back. I want whole Ungara Tey to have homes back." He sighed. "If sea people take everything," Hek'oe looked around lifting one hand and shook his head. "All these will die. That is why you must help. We have nothing much now." I nodded at him. "I understand what you're saying. If my captain was here, he would take no more wasted time and take action. If I had one way of contacting him, I won't even think twice and gladly do it." I smiled at the man, trying to trick him into being hopeful. "My friends and I are very strong. We would never hesitate on helping people. Trust me." "Ah, you mean Tashyeegi and Roobee?" He asked lifting his head. "No, I mean... my friends. I have friends in the main island. I left them there and when I come back, they'll definitely kill me." I scratched the curve of my neck.

"So you and Tashyeegi and Roobee not friends?" He asked again, clearly confused. "We are, yeah. But uhm, we weren't friends before." I explained carefully. "Ruby was a performer in the city while Tashigi and I... we were always in a complicated situation." "Keep going. Story is interesting." I licked my dried lips and slowly walked along the branch. From afar, I saw a huge nest and it had one blue egg on it looking lonely and such. "Technically speaking, I'm a pirate." "A pirate!?" The old man gasped dramatically. "Yet you are not evil!" He suddenly grinned opening his arms. "You are a puzzle. Yes! One of stars' puzzles." I couldn't help but smile at him too. "Yeah, I guess. My friends and I are not evil. I guess in the pirate world we can be labelled as... freaks. Considering that pirates are meant to be evil." I lifted my eyebrows and sighed. I scratched my cheek and took a deep breath. "So yeah, I'm the pirate and Tashigi's one of the 'good guys'. She's a marine. Some of her kind are big time assholes though. They're a pain in the ass."

"You are saying you and Tashyeegi enemies? Yet you are close to one another." He stepped forward, frowning and focused on me. "Why is it every time I look at you, you so kind to each other? Always smiling, always laughing?" "Ah yeah, we're good friends... for now." "For Ungara, man and woman who act like that are people who are going to get married." It took me a couple of minutes to process what he just said and another minute for my body to react. "Oh no-! It's not like- no. No, we're not gonna be married or any romantic trash like that. It's just," I shook my head smiling. "You know? We like each other's company. We're okay. We get along with each other now." I chuckled and hopped on a branch. "We hated each other before. You should have seen me. I was afraid of her." Hek'oe hopped beside me. "A man who is afraid of a woman?" He questioned. "She was so creepy before though. Always running after me." I laughed. "She's a big weirdo." For a moment, we became quiet, letting the noises of the forest sink in and the blow of the wind. "You like each other?" Hek'oe asked.

I stared at him from the side then down to the indiscernible habitat on the ground. What do I feel? What do we feel for each other? Did Tashigi and I like each other? Did she really like my company? I was speaking as if I know her so well. "I guess... I like her. Yeah, as a friend." I wasn't even sure if I put it right. "Yes. I notice you liking of her." He touched a sprouting yellow flower from a twig. "Just now when you talk your eyes glitter. That is good omen of strong friendship. I think Tashyeegi is nice person. I see her always helping my people. Always trying to buy their trust yet they are afraid and some hate her. She is a very hard worker." The sun was up now, shining brightly melting the mist over the tree tops from our view. I blinked from its strong light rays. "Yeah." I lifted my hand up to shade my eyes. "I guess she is."

****

When Hek'oe and I came back, the tree village was alive with noises and life. In the hut, Ruby and Tashigi were up, nibbling on some bright coloured fruits. "Morning, Zo-chan!" Ruby yelled happily, throwing his full hands up. Tashigi looked up at me with large bug eyes. "Where were you?" She asked when I sat on the edge of the wooden tree hut. "Just some place..." I shrugged. She turned to her food. "I thought you were fighting someone again." She whispered then smiled at Ruby. All the people seemed to be awake now going about their business. "We need help natives here to build three huts. One very high up in tree, for watching enemies." Hek'oe had said earlier this morning. "We need to get fallen woods from ground. We do it later when sun is up. Many large dogs on ground for now."

The natives weren't as barbarian as the people in the city said. They were the opposite, friendlier than the people in the outsider world, except for monkey frog and his monkey buddies. While thinking on my own I started predicting the future, mostly about how the main village would look like. "Explore. Walk around you have time." Hek'oe told me. "I see you later." And that's when he left to join his people. So I did what he advised me to do, I started walking on the trunk-like branches planning not to miss any part of the forest that I have not seen before. I didn't want to miss any good parts. I was exploring on my own and my main objective was to find out what was beneath us and see how I can get there. But it seemed impossible.

The lower branches were too high down from where I was standing. Giving up, I walked back to our hut and found Tashigi and Ruby talking at three tribal kids who were giggling at each other. Tashigi and one particular girl were both straddling the thick branch and facing each other. The little tribe girl touched her head and Tashigi copied. "So this is motey?" She asked. The girl shook her head and puckered her lips. "Mut'aay." She said perfectly straining the muscles on her cheek and mouth. "Mut'aay." Tashigi nodded then she moved down to pointing on her nose. "This?" "Lunga." "Lunga." Tashigi repeated. Ruby bent down over her shoulder. "How do you say 'thank you?' you know thank you?" He asked. But the girl just stared at him. "Okay. They don't like me." He threw his hands to his side.

"Ah, thenk yuu!" The girl suddenly clapped her hands. "Thenk yuu, ah, 'Kamatsa'." She grinned. Ruby and Tashigi repeated after her. "Kamatsa…" Tashigi turned back to Ruby with a wide ear spitting grin on her face. "They're so cute." "You kidding?" Ruby replied making a face at her. Then suddenly, the two other kids started laughing and grabbed Ruby's wrist and started dragging him away. The third girl, who Tashigi was talking to, ran with them. I felt sorry for the okama, he was about to slip and fall. Maybe I don't. I shook my head, stood up and walked towards the lone marine. She was just smiling while staring after them. "Well, well, well." I started and walked over her and started to squat opposite to her. I flashed my million beri smile. Her smile widened and she dropped her hands on the wood. "Hey, Mr. Stranger." Tashigi greeted. "What brings you in this region?" She asked. "You didn't say good morning to me." I scratched my head. She lifted her eyebrows and pretended to look stricken. "Oh, do forgive me. I didn't know it was that important to you."

"So, where were you this morning?" She asked and I ignored looking all around placing my hands behind me and leaned back. Tashigi sighed heavily. "Fine, good morning, my dear melon boy!" I looked at her idiotic and crap expression. "How was my wittle mewon's mowning?" She reached out to pinch my cheek until she pinched it too hard. "Aah! You crazy-!" I pulled my face back and jabbed her on the rib. "Ow!" She winced covering her torso. "Hey, that hurt!" "You started it!" "You wanted me to do it!" We both argued and I gave her an 'evil' look. "Argh! Alright!" Tashigi growled in defeat and glared back at me dropping her hands on her pale scary thighs. "Let's start again. God, Roronoa. You will loose friends if you keep acting like that!" The volume of her voice decreased. The marine rolled her eyes and sighed for the third time. "Where were you this morning?" She raised her eyebrows and my hard look cracked and turned into an easy smile. "Aha! I knew you were interested. You just didn't want to show it around other people." "Be quiet." She grimaced after me and then she shook her head. "You are ruining my day." I shrugged. "It's what I do."

It felt like the first day we met in the main island where we kept fighting and arguing with each other like a bunch of little teenage kids. "You know I will beat you one day." She said. I lifted my chin at her. "Yeah? And how are you gonna do that if you freak out when seeing me with a scratch in the arm?" With this she opened her mouth to throw an argument but she stopped and sucked in her lips. "I… was…" She stammered. I smiled and leaned forward, arching my back. "Because you care about me." I teased and she gasped and fought a smile. "I do not!" "Then why are you acting defensive?" "I will defeat you one day." She nodded to my swords. "And save them all from your evil large hands." She rasped. Tashigi snorted and folded her arms across her chest and looked to the side, then back to me again from the corners of her eyes. "You're such a flirt, Roronoa. I don't like it." "Do I make you feel uncomfortable?" I kept on. Her eyes widened and her face reddened. "You have to stop." She said slowly, stopping at every syllable. I bit my lower lip and moved closer making her fall back. "Oh yes you are~" She pushed me back from my shoulders and focused on frowning at me. "Excuse me. I don't get _attracted _to younger men." Then she slapped my forehead and stood up.

She turned on her heels and walked off and jumped to a nearby branch. I went after her grinning. Oho! I love it when I get her annoyed, it gets my blood pumping. Tashigi secretly peeked over her shoulder to me and I grinned happily at her. She snorted and started jogging so I jogged after her. Soon, she started running faster and only came to a halt when she was about to jump to a lower branch. I bent down and with my index finger and thumb and pinch her ankle with my nails. "Kya!" She jumped and turned back to me, grinning. "Don't!" She chuckled. I took her right wrist and wiggled one eyebrow. "Come with me. There's something I want to show you." I said. She grinned widely staring at my chest. "Is it your time to take me around now?" She asked softly. I dropped her hand and ran to a mangled trunk covered by thick ivy. "You'll love it." I started to climb up lifting a limb after another while looking up. But I stopped and looked down for Tashigi. She was gaining up. So the idiot can really climb.

I reached out for a branch, stood on it and looked around for a taller tree. When I found one, I helped her up and ran to the tree trunk. We both climbed up again until we reached our destination. I was back to the tallest tree. I turned to her and just as expected, her face brightened. Tashigi was marvelling at the beautiful scene, her mouth opened to a smile and eyes so widely opened. "Oh my-" Her voice was caught by the noises emanating from behind us. I looked back to see hundreds of those large colourful birds. "Hey." I poked her and she turned back to. She made a gasp. All the birds were standing on branches while others on their nests. Most of them were preening others squawking for space. They seemed to be unafraid of human beings. "This is amazing." She whimpered. I pat her head. "So, are you happy?" I repeated her question from way back and she only nodded, eyes still distracted from the birds. "Omigosh. Can we ride one?" Tashigi asked jumping to branch to get a closer look. "You crazy? They'll bite off our heads." I said.

Tashigi and I spent our time sitting on the branches with our legs hanging in the open air while watching the birds going about their habitat. The sun was heating us from the back which felt really good, something that I suddenly missed after staying in the forest region for hours. "They're so beautiful." "Let me guess, it's the first time you've seen giant birds, huh?" I asked. "Well, I did saw some but they were not as beautiful as them. The birds I saw were plain white and kinda' boring." She turned to me. "Unlike you, Melon, I don't spend my life enjoying everything in the world." "What's that suppose to mean?" "Nothing." She shrugged. "Why did you want to be a swordsman?" I asked. "I don't… know." She rubbed her eyes. "I just like it." She started playing with her fingers. "I mean, I have no great quotes or 'sayings' to describe how much I love swords. I'm waaay~ different from those 'cool' people who can make up awesome quotes that makes them sound even cooler. I have nothing of that." Tashigi shrugged, pouting. "All I know is that I love being a swordsman." She smiled and looked at me with bright eyes. "And that alone I think is the most important."

"And why did you want to be a marine?" I continued asking forth. Tashigi shrugged once again. "Since I was a little girl witnessing all those ruckus, wars, famine and all the imperfections happening around the world, I decided I wanted to be an ally of justice!" She clenched her fist and pretended to look like a superhero. Then she dropped it and looked at her swinging bare foot. "I joined the marines because all I wanted was a single thing worth fighting for and to protect something that is very important to me." She lifted her head and shook it. "I guess that's all." I woke up from my trance and remembered to breath. "You are an unbelievable-naturalistic-happy-hippie idiot." I marked. "Whatever." Tashigi answered.

We caught ourselves staring at one another yet again and sometimes I think it's becoming a habit. A bad habit. I shook my head and laughed but I could still feel her staring at me. I went back staring at her again. This time she looked like she was in a daze, smiling with droopy eyes. She looked like she was drunk. "Why are you staring at me, Ms. Blueberry marine?" I asked lifting my eyebrows. Tashigi took a deep breath and moved her eyes to my lips. "You're just too cute it's hard to ignore you."

Silence…

I stared at her with an emotion I myself could not comprehend. Tashigi finally came to a realization when her eyes widened and she blinked them numerous times. "I-did-not-just-said-that." She stopped at each word. I broke into a smile and nodded. "Yes… you just… did." I replied. She closed her eyes hung her head and started rubbing her face. "Oh gosh…" She muffled. I began to blush really hard I had to look away to the other side. "Crap…" She started to laugh and I laughed after her too. Finally I looked back to her and she was laughing hysterically while still beet red. "Zoro, I didn't… uhum!" She gagged and touched my arm. "I didn't mean to say that." "You are such a hypocrite!" I frowned and she dropped her jaw. "You said you'd never get attracted to someone younger than you." "I was joking!" She squealed and I pulled her ears. "Because you're an idiot. An idiot!" I rasped to her while she kept laughing. "I'm sorry. I lost my mind." Tashigi slapped off my hands. I made a sour face at her. "Oh God what are we doing?" "I know." She sighed and pulled a sad face, tapping her knees.

"We should be killing each other instead of acting silly." I added. "Yeah. Damn. I haven't even trained for days now. I think my skills have becoming rusty." "Oh wait!" I moved my head back to look clearly at her. "You train?" "Of course I- what kinda' question is that?" Tashigi rolled her eyes. "But you know what?" She tapped my thigh. "I learned a lot of things from you." I smiled at that. "Like what?" I asked. "About your past, about you washing dishes and I'm glad that you're not as much as a barbarian that I thought you was. Sometimes you can even be so funny and pull a joke." Then she grimaced looking at me from top to bottom. "Sometimes you can become too boastful and a flirt. Eugh!" She shook her head and looked at the birds. "Well I can say the same to you." I replied. "I am not a flirt." She poked my chest. "Yes you can be." "I am not. Excuse me." "You're excused." And the lame petty argument went on and on…

****

The afternoon was already dark, the tree village glowed by larger and stronger glowing pods with more swarms of multicoloured fire flies. We weren't able to pick fallen woods from the ground, tribal men from the last village came and brought wood with them so that kinda' upset me. We had finished building small huts and I was quite impressed and so were the tribal people, happy to have more abodes to stay in to. During the early evening, people took their dinner of fruit and bird meat around the hill of glowing pods again, Hek'oe telling them stories in their own language. Ruby and I sat by the edge of the hut watching the people laugh and talk. "I'm so tired, Zo-chan. I don't wanna sleep early but my eye lids are too heavy." Ruby moaned lying on the cold floor. I looked around searching for the blue headed bug-eyed marine idiot.

"Where's Tashigi?" I asked. Ruby rose on his elbows making a face at me. "Still Tashigi? Man, Zo-chan! Am I hard to love?" He cried and hit his back on the floor. I dropped the fruit I was munching on beside the okama and got up. I was slightly worried about the marine. Doesn't she know its dark already? What if she slips and falls? Damn her, she's eating my conscious. "Let's go, Ruby, let's search for her." I kicked the okama gently. "No!" He threw his right hand and rolled. "I'm too tired. Go look for her on your own." Then he lay motionless. I guess it's just me again. I started walking though the thick branches looking up to the other glowing huts. Luckily, there were pods on every turn I make. Maybe she's up in one of those new huts.

I climbed my way to the first new uninhabited hut we made and from it, I heard footsteps. I smiled and tip-toed to reach the permanently opened door. I peaked from the wall and there she was knocking on one of the higher walls with a light green pod under beside her feet. I sucked in my lips and tip toed in. When I went closer to her, I lifted up my hands from my sides and quickly covered both her eyes and pulled her back. The back of her head hit my chest and she shuddered under my touch. "Tash…" I whispered huskily. She made a low whimper then grabbed on my wrists. "Wh-who is this?" She asked, her voice shaking. My shoulders shook when a quiet giggle escape from my mouth. "Ruby?" She asked, her hands wounding it's way back to my elbows.

I pulled her closer so her ear was in level with my lips. Then quietly and softly I whispered, "Ssh, Tashigi. It's just me." I chuckled. Instead of relaxing, she was breathing too fast through her opened mouth. "Zoro…" She whispered back and slowly, I let her go. I took three steps back and she turned around to see me. Tashigi hand her hands covering her chest and she was biting on her lower lips, her eyes on my chest then down to my feet. She took a deep quivering breath then blinked and looked at me. "Tashigi.." I whispered again and stepped forward but she stepped back hitting the wall behind her. This was a good time to make fun of her, she looked like a vulnerable chick. With my right hand, I place it on the wall by her side and I grinned at her evilly.

"Z-Zoro stop, please, you're scaring me." She hung her head, clearly stricken then pushed her hands on my chest. But then she crushed them back on her own. I grinned widely so humoured. "You- you're afraid of me?" I whispered into the night. Everything was quiet in this area, only cricket noises. I pulled back my head when she looked up. "Yes…" She answered and sounded like a little girl. Right then I gnashed my teeth and clenched both my hands. I didn't know how I felt. My heart was pumping too much blood and my breathing increased. The marine just looked so small under me.

The next, we heard laughter then heavy footsteps coming towards the hut. We were too late when suddenly "—oh, we sorry!" Two women with woven baskets appeared by the door looking shocked after seeing me and Tashigi in our position. I quickly pulled back my hand and stepped back and smiled nervously at them. Tashigi did the same, stepping forward and grabbing the tip of the glowing pod. The two older women stepped back. "Do not mind us." One lady said. "No, no, please!" Tashigi called after them. "We were only checking the hut if it's secure." She stepped out to the branch. "Is this where you are living?" She asked. The only woman who spoke nodded. "Then enjoy your new home!" Tashigi smiled and gestured for them to go in. I quickly jumped out of the little hut and after given by an angry stare from the marine, I walked back to Ruby and to the people around the hill of firefly pods.

I felt a jab by the side of my body and I turned back to see Tashigi still blushing but glaring daggers at me. "Why did you do that?!" She rasped and I started to laugh. "That wasn't funny, Zoro! That was embarrassing!" Then she marched off, stomping on the hard wood making the branch shudder. I stopped and just watched her go. My laugh turned into a chuckle and ended into a smile. What a crazy day. "Yeah, good night to you too, Blueberry." I whispered to the floating fireflies.

* * *

**Coming up…**

"You lost your memories?!" Ruby took over my attention and sat in the other side of me, eyes wide filled with curiosity. "Yeah. I can't really recall what happened, all I remember was a dark gloomy day, pools of blood, a village. There was a kid and I remember having a shitty headache."

"It's really irritating. I want to remember everythi-" "You shouldn't." Tashigi interrupted. . "Let it go." She looked at my chest as usual. "Don't strain yourself."

-

I took a deep breath. "How about your boyfriend?" Her eyes widened and she lifted her head slightly to me.  
"It's complicated. I don't want to talk about him yet.


	14. I know so well

**Author's note; **Aww, my reviewers are so nice~! *blush* You guys makes me so happy! I promise I'll make this story way interesting! We're almost at the climax tho... oh shoot! I just- Okay, I've talked too much. To the story!!

* * *

**Chapter 14; "I know so well."**

* * *

When we left the tree village, the children were waving and calling back after Ruby, probably sad that the briskly okama was finally leaving them. Older people also waved after Hek'oe and since the next village was said to be far, they gave us one of those sack-like woven pouch that ties around your back to put in foods and such. So yet again we travelled by the large branches, our foot steps thumping at every step. Sooner though, sounds of running water was emanating from everywhere. We could not see it clearly, the fog was still thick and when the water noises grew louder, the fog evaporated and I stopped to look down. The branch we were standing on was floating over crystal clear river and surrounding us were huge bodies of circling waterfalls. I smiled gaping at the forming rainbow above us and water sprinkling from under us.

It made me wonder how such a huge body of water can still exist in a floating island. We kept walking, about half a mile so I took my time examining the wondrous scenery. Tall large trees were actually standing from the river creating road-like branches making it possible for us to walk over it. But sadly, our branch connected with a rocky cliff with a water fall at the side ending my journey. We left it just like that and it annoyed me how much I acted like a little kid, dejected that our journey through the mutated large branches were over. We were back again in a place covered only by thick lush trees and vegetations. But this place was different, it was more realistic. The trees normal in height with emerald green glossy leaves and brown vine covered branches. Most of the shrubs were like short bananas with long and large fan-like leaves. It looked like a normal rainforest.

It wasn't dark at all, in fact, sunlight was streaming just about everywhere. Bright coloured flowers were also stuck on ever corners, from the ground up to the highest tree tops all in each unique mixes of colours. We entered the green natural world and I started observing again, my eyes and head wondering everywhere and I didn't know which part of the jungle I wanted to see first. While we cut our way through banana like bushes, my eyes rested on a medium sized yellow flower and suddenly an image flashed. A yellow small flower and a field which I could not see clearly. It happened to fast, like a flash of a camera. I thought it was over, the flashing memories, yet it happened again. I couldn't tell whether I dreamt about the yellow flower or the fields or it could be just another de-ja-vu. That made me slower my pace yet I forced my legs to move preventing myself to fall back and maybe even get lost.

I shook my head at that and decided to ignore. It could be whatever. I looked to the front and saw the blue head of once my enemy but now a friend, or temporary friend. I jogged towards her back and reached out my right hand and tickled her underarm with my clawed index finger. She jumped and twisted her head back to me shrieking, I grinned widely and wiggled an eyebrow. Instead of slapping me or laughing at my sudden contact, she grimaced and snubbed walking faster racing beside Ruby. She ignored me once again, the second time after I bump her 'accidentally' by the side this morning. Still, I walked faster after her and decide I should just keep annoying her since I couldn't really make up a proper apology for what I did last night. But it wouldn't hurt to try for the second time. "Hey," I tapped her shoulder with one finger and hopped beside her. "I'm sorry about last night."

"Last night?" Ruby lifted his upper lip and turned to me then to Tashigi, then back again. "Look I didn't mean to do it." I stared down at the marine shaking my head. "If it offended you," I took a deep breath. "I'm sorry." But she kept ignoring me. Chin up, eyes glaring and her pace increased so I had to race after her, jumping over some organisms and almost tumbling to my side. "What are you talking about?" Ruby asked stepping between me and Tashigi, Tashigi took this as an opportunity and took Ruby's old position. "Don't talk to me." She rasped under her breath just before she moved. "Aw, c'mon." I slapped the side of my face and chuckled. I had to crane my head over Ruby's fucked up okama purple hair just to see Tashigi. "You were mad at me yesterday morning. Can't you just give it a rest?" I ran to the other side and walked beside her. She pushed off a low hanging branch and let it go for it to slap my face.

It stick on my face but I pulled and snapped it into a half then toss it away. This was supposed to get me annoyed and irritated, the game of cat and mouse but surprisingly, it didn't. My emotion kept unmoved, still humoured. I lifted my hands up and walked backwards when I reached her front again. "Okay. Alright. I get it. I'm a total asshole and… it wasn't right I did it." "Did what?!" Ruby ran beside me, his face a mix of frustration and anxiety. I dropped my hand and walked forward properly. If I had a pocket, I would have had inserted my hands in. "Come on, blue. It was a joke!" I laughed awkwardly. "Blue?! You're calling her blue?!" Ruby shrieked then looked at Tashigi. "You call each other by colour nicknames now?" He cried.

With this, Tashigi finally stopped and stepped before me. She pressed her left hand on my chest and stared at me with large blue eyes, those that Kuina used to have. Her lips were pressed on each other and jaw clenched. "Do not laugh." She hissed and pushed me harder. "You don't laugh about it!" Her eyes dropped to my chest and took off her hand and switched it with her other to hold her sword. When she looked back up to me again, she looked embarrassed, her eyebrows curled up. "That was embarrassing, Zoro. Two women saw us in that awkward position!" Tashigi stepped back frowning again and jumped over a fallen log. "What?!" Ruby slapped his face and screamed at the top of his lungs. "What position?! What are you talking about?!" His face turned red.

The woman marched off faster, her figure covered by the fan-like leaves. I turned serious, watching after her until I dropped my gaze to the okama and sighed heavily. "Nothing happened, okay. Jeez." I fumed and found myself running after the marine again which was kind of ironic really, me chasing after her, it was supposed to be me avoiding her, but it's different now. "You don't want to talk?" I asked, all serious. Tashigi snarled and turned her head away. "Fine. I'll let you cool off." She shook her head. "Just, leave me alone." The last thing I traced from her emotion was confusing. I know she was mad, annoyed, frustrated, embarrassed but the most odd of all was that she looked confused and scared… I couldn't make sense of that.

We didn't talk until late in the noon when we settled by a plain. There were no trees there, only brown dried grass, with grey rocks, some short green plants and rock growing flowers. We took a break from walking and sat on cracked boulders. I sat by myself on a separate rock from the other, staring on space. From my side, I heard Tashigi and Ruby talking. Ki'teh and his buddies were away collecting food and shit. Hek'oe from my other side though was grimacing at the pain while he massaged his toe. "How far is the village?" I asked, still looking at the ground. "Ah, next village is far. Yes, we will get there not too early tomorrow." The old chief said and smiled. "We will stay here by night." "Any predators out here?" I asked again, looking at him. "There are, yes. But they don't eat humans. They run away." He stood up and bowed slightly to me. "I need to walked around. See if something wrong with forest. I see you later, Zoroh." Then he walked off. Again, I was on my own, sadly.

During times like this, I often find myself asleep. It was a perfect time for resting, the sun high up and the breeze just mild and perfect, but I wasn't, surprisingly again. Everything that I was before was kind of different from what I am now. I sighed and rubbed my eyes. I don't know, like I said, I don't want to think too much at all. I felt two presence each beside me so I dropped my hands and looked to the sides. On the front, on the ground, Ruby sat with his legs folded and by my side was Tashigi, smiling faintly. "Hey." She started. "I'm not… mad anymore." She continued. I looked away and folded my arms, acting like I didn't care anymore. "Okay." I answered simply. "Just, don't… do it again." She shifted awkwardly. "I don't… I mean, I feel really awkward when things like those happen to me." From the corners of my eyes I could feel her dropping her head.

Ruby in front of me raised an eyebrow and pouted up his lower lip while squinting at me. "We're you always like this, Zo-chan?" He asked, more like an observation than a question. "What?" I asked in a deep voice. The okama shrugged and looked at my toes and started to sway fro and back. "You suddenly had a shift of demeanour. It's enigmatic." He rubbed his chin. "I mean, not that I'm complaining but, you seemed to be all playful and near to childlike. You're very… different, from the first time I met you." He shook his head and lifted up both his opened hands to his sides. "I'm just saying. You're very sociable now." Tashigi dropped a hand on my shoulder and I turned to her. She smiled brightly. "Yeah. That's good, Melon." Her anger has really subsided. She was the normal Tashigi now, the clumsy idiotic marine I knew. "And you're not 'scary' to approach anymore."

My mind reeled and I started to reflect and let all those words sink in deep. I didn't know how to feel about my 'sudden' change of character. I didn't even know I changed. Inside I felt like I was still me. But the ones who knew better were the people surrounding me. Ruby made a heavy sigh and lay on his back. "I miss my friends." And with just that, the images of my nakama I left behind flashed in my mind again. Would Luffy scream at me? Hit me? Or would he ever set me free the next time we travel into another island? "Yeah, me too." Tashigi suddenly agreed beside me. The okama rolled on his belly and grinned up at the marine widely. "Ooh~! Tell me about your friends, Tash-Tash!" He shrieked. I stared at Tashigi, moving my face slightly away. She looked happy, her smile widening yet I know she was trying to keep it simple, to not show much emotions. "Well, I met this short girl who was kinda' idiotic. She's all about candies and stuff and she always makes me laugh. She owns a blue monkey which was really cute, but had a bad temper." She paused and pursed her lips, focusing on her nails. "Mm, there are… ten of us and for now. We are separated." Tashigi lifted her head and smiled tightly. "Two, no three of us were very beautiful. God! There's so many beautiful women coming out these days!" She exclaimed.

"Yeah. I get jealous most of the time but," She sighed, dropping her shoulders. "That's just about it you know. I already knew I looked like crap since I was young anyway. Me being beautiful is… urgh. Not gonna happen." Ruby sat up and slapped her knee. "Aw, don't be like that!" "I went to this gypsy before, you know, just for the fun of it, and she said I'd have a crappy life." She snorted. "Turned out she's right." She started laughing. "Don't believe in all those bullshit, Tash-Tash!" The okama snapped again. "They're all crazy... mm~" He suddenly looked at the woman from head to toe, fishing something interesting about her. I don't think something good was impending. Ruby went closer to her and rested his arms around her lap and stared up at her while fluttering his eye lashes. "Did you ever had a _boyfriend?"_

I couldn't help but get too engrossed and looked at the marine too. Tashigi pulled back her body looking shocked at the okama. She started to stammer yet her face broke into a nervous smile. She looked like she was not breathing again. "U-uhm…" She started and cleared her throat. Ruby and I both waited. "Have you ever been kissed before~?" The okama kept going. "N-! A-ah…" I suddenly felt so sorry for the woman, well almost. But I wanted her answer. I too was curious. There was no escaping the conceited okama and the imprecations building up for Tashigi was dropping down on her, already drowning her. "I kinda… had." And it sounded like a question to me. "I think." She added before biting on her lip. "Oho-kay? Awkward." Ruby made a face. "I'm not really sure how to say it but… No. Maybe not. I don't think I'm beautiful so I don't think I could consider _that _man as a boyfriend."

I lost her there, I didn't know what she was saying. Maybe her mind was too clouded with all these thoughts she doesn't even know what she's saying anymore. Should I help and butt in for her? No, no way. "What are you saying?" Ruby asked. "You know before, this green monkey kept running away from me and I thought he was running away because I was ugly." Tashigi almost jumped. "But I thought wrong…" "Did Zo-chan found you attractive?" The okama asked. "No!" Tashigi and I both yelled. I looked at her and sucked in my lips, Tashigi looked surprised and quickly closed her opened mouth. "I mean, it's not like I thought of her that way." I frowned at Ruby, almost gagging at the words. "It's not about that at all." My voice came into a hoarse. "Yeah, yeah." Tashigi giggled. "I know you didn't find me pretty at all." She poked my arm. "I know that already." I wanted to say that I didn't mean to say what I said. It was just an act of defence for myself. Obviously I didn't want to be embarrassed. I was going to add in another thing but it stayed hanging on my tongue. I wanted to say it but I couldn't find the courage too.

Tashigi's smile disappeared and she kept staring on her fingers on top of her knees. She looked dejected, wounding my conscience. "Aw, look, Zo-chan." Ruby whined. "You made Tash-Tash sad!" "What-? No!" Her head snapped back and she shook her head vigorously. "No, god no! Let's get it straight." She took a deep breath and for a second looked serious. "I am not attractive at all. At first glance you'd think of me as a geek! Come on, I heard people say that. Yeah, in the beginning I was… sad, but life kept going and I just, accepted it." Silence fell down on us almost chocking.

"Well," Ruby pushed himself off of her and tapped his thighs. "I don't know how to say to that." He said. I couldn't agree more. Who would have thought that a hippie idiot like her would hide such a… sad and dark emotion like that. I know everyone does but… I felt annoyed after hearing it. Something in me wanted to shake her and scream at her that she is not all the things she thought she is. That's she's an idiot and will always be and everything bad she feels about herself was, well idiotic.

And yet I couldn't, I wasn't in the right place to say that. Most importantly, I don't have the courage and strength to be able to comfort her. First glance really isn't everything. I should have known any better. I turned my head slowly to the woman again and in her right hand, she had her yellow dried flower. It was creepy, the way I realized, it was the same flower in my visions. "Let me see that." I asked. She snapped her head and her eyes widened at me, like I woke her from a trance. "Oh, a mountain vegetable flower!" Ruby speculated. "They ain't that pretty, but they're herbs so they're very useful." I examined the flower between my finger and my thumb then passed it back to its owner and I touched my head. "Ah." I rasped. "There it goes again." I shook my head. "Eh?" Ruby frowned at me. "My flashing 'visions' when I lost my memories." I answered. "What?"

Ki'teh and his friends came with sacks half full of fruits and everything in the forest that was edible. "You lost your memories?!" Ruby took over my attention and sat in the other side of me, eyes wide filled with curiosity. "Yeah. I can't really recall what happened, all I remember was a dark gloomy day, pools of blood, a village. There was a kid and I remember having a shitty headache." "I don't get it." Ruby said under a whisper. "You don't have to." I turned to Tashigi and pointed quickly to her. "Ask her. She was there." I said and stared at her. I shrugged. Now it was my turn to talk. "That's all I remembered. It's like, waking up from a sleep and not remembering anything at all. When I got back to my ship, my nakama started asking me questions, one started beating me up. I was like, 'The fuck are you all talkin' about?'. Uhm, our doctor said something about a… mental illness." "Amnesia." Tashigi added in, her eyes frowned and focused at me. "When you loose your memories." "Yeah, yeah. That." I pointed at her. "It's really irritating. I want to remember everythi-" "You shouldn't." Tashigi interrupted. She looked serious now, way serious than before. There were no more trace of her happy-go-luckiness.

She was all business like. Tashigi frowned at me. "Let it go." She looked at my chest as usual. "Don't strain yourself." "Maybe…" Was all I could come up with. After that, Hek'oe came and asked us to have some fruits for some energy boost. While we were having our snack, Hek'oe had said, "Many of my people are trusting you." He said to Tashigi, her face brightening than usual. "But most hunters do not." He bent closer to Tashigi. "My son do not see you like other people. He sharpens his spear." That triggered my anger. Lucky for Ki'teh he was away, about a few kilometres away, guarding. If he was at my reach I swear I could have had pulled him to the ground and start beating the shit out of him. Someone needs to knock some sense on that motherfucker big time.

****

We carried on walking after that, crossing rivers, pulling out leeches from Ruby's back, walking in the forest for hours, seeing odd gigantic dysfunctional animals, chased by a large jaguar and just basically surviving the wilderness. We reached a wonderland-like place were everything was so colourful. In that region, the large mushrooms sprouted again and there were large three meter wide flowers everywhere. It was hard to walk through it. I was afraid I'd step on one of nature's beauty. Just like Tashigi had said, everything here was too good to be true it seemed to me like a dream. I also noticed, the glowing pods were bigger. When Tashigi turned sideways, half turning back to me, she was smiling. Her thin chapped lips spreading across her face, I smiled too.

That night, we all sat around a made up camp fire in the middle of a grass field. Tashigi, Ruby and I were sitting beside each other talking. Only two of Ki'teh's friends were around, he and his other one were out and away again. Ruby started talking to Hek'oe, asking him so much questions and sometimes, I could hea the okama repeating 'I'm a girl! A girl!' And yet Hek'oe would look doubtful. Tashigi beside me was smiling while listening and staring at the flickering hypnotic fire. "Do you miss your friends?" I whispered. "Yes." She whispered back, very quietly. She slowly slipped herself and lay on her side on the grass. I did the same, lowering myself down to the log behind me. I started tossing in dried twigs to the embers of the fire. I took a deep breath. "How about your boyfriend?" Her eyes widened and she lifted her head slightly to me. At first she looked horrified but later, she just smiled and shook her head and relaxed. "It's complicated. I don't want to talk about him yet." With her fingers, she started plucking the grass beside her head. "You're still such a little boy, Melon. You wouldn't understand." She said, smiling. "He hurt you?" I asked again. "He's an asshole isn't he?"

Tashigi closed her eyes slowly but her smile stayed on her face. She didn't answer after me, keeping to the idea of just ignoring me. "Are you sleeping?" I ask, my voice softer than before. Tashigi took a deep breath and said, "No." She chuckled, her signature chuckle. "I'm just… closing my eyes." After an hour, Ruby, Hek'oe and the other warriors slept, the fire slowly lost it's light and turned into ashes. Everything was blanketed only by the light of the half moon. By that time I lay on my back, on the soft itchy grass and looked up to the night sky. I was surprised to see the sky so pregnant with stars. There were billions! I turned to Tashigi but she was already asleep, I could hear her snoring softly. What a shame. She would have been so happy.

"Tashigi…" I whispered as quietly as possible. I didn't know if I really wanted her to hear me or not. I was confusing myself. Lifting my right hand I poked her forehead and she didn't move or said anything at all. "You're not ugly." I whispered again. "You're actually okay." And then I slept.

****

The next day, we all woke up early and continued our excursion to the next village. We went through the depths of the lush green forest once again and soon, our patience and hard work was awarded when once again, we caught ourselves by a lagoon. It was a big lagoon, almost like a lake. It was beautiful like any other, the creamy white sand, the cyan sparkling waters and finally, the floating village by the water. It wasn't such a huge village, there were only about twenty medium sized floating huts made from straw which were all connected to one another by a floating log which acted as bridges. When the natives of the village saw us, they all stopped and were surprised at the existence of the three 'outsiders', us.

But before they all come and attack us, Hek'oe came forward and started talking, almost preaching to his people. Three warriors came to him, they were not painted but only wore armours made from animal bones. They spoke with Hek'oe while always looking at us. Then finally, the chief turned to us with his smile and led us into the huts. "They are alright. They see you now." Hek'oe said, holding my shoulder. "Come, come. We eat for morning. We all are hungry." And so we did what he asked for. We started walking through the undulating bridges. I looked around, all the villagers were looking at us like we had ten heads. Some who were swimming on the lagoon came to stop and stare.

"Hi! Hi there!" Ruby grinned prestigiously as if he was a famous run way model. No one of course waved back at him, only stare with an opened mouth. "Oh! They are so gonna love me by tomorrow." He clapped his hand and started walking with his hips tossing to each sides. I rolled my eyes. We took our breakfast in a larger hut and we sat on the floor in a circle. I couldn't eat properly, almost half of the population of the village were all around us staring. It was creepy.

I left the floating village and went back to the nearby forest to do my business. After wards, I turned around pushing off the reaching banana-like leaves and when I made my way back to the village, I saw Ki'teh staring after me with blood shot eyes. I ignored, who gives a shit about him anyway? So I kept going but of course, I was not an idiot. Before I let Ki'teh off my head and eye sight, I was still cautious, waiting for him to do something fucked up. And he did, just right on cue. He tossed a spear at me and quickly, I pulled my head back and the spear went right through a small tree. I grinned and looked back to him. This was going to be my major exercise for the morning. Well, this ought to be good.

I unsheathed my black and red swords and we attacked each other, his long machete came crashing on my katanas. We kept attacking on each other and I found him a very irritating enemy. He moved to quick like a wasp going about everywhere. When I lunged my sword at him, he jumped to high and stepped on my sword and tried to kick me in the face but I pulled my face to the side and when I stepped back, I slipped on some moss and fell on my stomach. He knew it was going to happen, as he smiled evilly at me. Just as I slipped, I felt something slithering around my ankles. I arched my back and looked at my legs and there, I saw maroon roots coiling around my feet holding me down. They looked almost like snakes, but with no eyes. "Shit!" I pulled my legs but when I looked to the front, Ki'teh was swinging on a vine and he had his spear pointing down at me. He howled and I panicked to slice off the roots but they were as hard as steel. Soon, then another maroon root coiled itself around my left wrist.

I couldn't move at all and I knew I had to do something. The forest monkey was coming to me furtively. I kept slashing on the roots until I cut one but before I was finished and for Ki'teh to stab me in the head, someone thin fell down before me and jumped to counter attack my main enemy. Ki'teh fell on the ground with a loud bump and he quickly gathered himself up scrambling and pointed his machete towards Tashigi who came down and was now crouching before me with her sword naked. I was just finished cutting off the roots.

"Do not touch him!" She rasped at the tribal idiot. I looked up to her back and wished to have seen how expression looked like. I got up and scrambled to my feet lowering my swords to the ground and kept staring at the back of my 'protector's' head. Wow, she was my enemy, then my friend and now my protector. Fate is fucking me up, ain't that a bitch? Just then when the commotion grew larger and suddenly went public, Ki'teh's buddies came beside him and pointed their weapons at Tashigi while snarling at her like wolves. My blood was boiling so much and anxiety was taking over me. I was suddenly so excited to fighting these cock suckers I was almost jumping with joy.

"Hahaha!" Ki'teh sheathed his weapon and straightened up while wiped the blood off his nose. "What an idiot!" He grinned. "I was only testing that man!" He pointed at me and that's when my rage took over my anxiety. I wanted to get rid of him. He had insulted me enough. Made me felt like I was so weak and _I _needed help… from a woman. I lifted my swords and clenched my teeth so hard. When the crowd around us thickened, Ruby and Hek'oe pushed their way through. Ruby came jogging towards Tashigi and I. "What happened?!" He asked, voice shaking. Tashigi sheathed her sword and faced the side. I stared after Hek'oe who was arguing with Ki'teh, but his son showed him no respect. Ki'teh shook his head and walked off. Hek'oe looked at me then to the villagers and spoke to them and made them go back to their personal business. There was nothing more to see here.

When everyone disappeared, it was only then Ruby, Tashigi and I. I slammed the side of my right fist to a tree, shaking it. "Fuck!" I growled. The pain from my wound woke up and it radiated through out my whole arm. I pulled it up and cradled it. The bandage was worn and blood started to stream and stain the woven cloth. "Fuck that asshole!" I yelled again and started to walk up and down. Everything all around me came to a haze and I heard Ruby's words muffle in my ear. "'kay, I'll just leave you to him." Then he walked off. I stared after him then down to my only companion. Tashigi was staring after him, looking worried and scared. Hating the burden of being stuck with me again. I saw her inhale deeply and drop her head. She looked up. "Zoro.." She started. "I need to get rid of that scum in the earth!" I yelled pointing at the place where Ki'teh left. "People like him makes this world a living hell!" I continued. "Zoro…" Tashigi traced off again. "What happened?" She asked.

"He fuckin' attacked me!" I answered. Tashigi's eyes came down from my chest then she blinked and looked at the ground. She shook her head and sighed. "Look, if this is about what and how he sees me it doesn't matter okay." "It fucking does! Will you open your eyes?!" I screamed down at her. "Can you just stop acting naïve and look around you! Stop being too kind to people who will always see you as a piece of shit! Just stop it!" I pressed my hands on each of her cheeks. "Wake up!" She pulled off my hands and I dropped it to my sides. Tashigi stepped back. "I already told you. I don't need any help." "You fucking do! Everyone needs some help. Dammit, Tashigi!" I pulled a banana leaf and toss it to the ground. My right arm started to hurt again, this time, the blood started to stream down. When I stepped forward, she stepped back and looked like she was about to cry. "Dammit!" I growled again and turned around.

The pain was excruciating. It felt the same way it did when it was still so fresh. Angrily, I walked towards the lagoon and sat by the shore. I started to look at my wound and tried to cover it poorly. It was useless. It looked like a rag around my arm, so worn and shit-like. Tashigi, as always, sat down opposite to me and it was like, that day in the first village by the lagoon when we came and laughed with each other was brought up again. But this time, none of us were joyful. There was no laughter. I frowned at her, my anger started to recede. I started to control my breathing. Tashigi took my wounded arm and placed it on her knee then she took off her woven body bag and searched for the opening. From inside, she fished out a clean roll of bandages. "Oh crap." She scratched her temple and looked at her sides, searching. She forgot to bring a spare cloth. I chuckled secretly and shook my head at her inability to remember important things.

She slowly looked up to me. "Zoro-" "Yeah." I cut her off instantly and I untied my bandana off my left arm and gave it to her. "I'm sorry." She grinned shyly and bit her lip. Tashigi started nursing my arm again, just like the last time. When she finished, we both just sat there, motionless, letting the silence sink it until she took a deep breath and smiled at me. "Thank you… I think." I just stared at her as she wrapped her bag around her body sideways again. "And I'm sorry." I trailed after her. Tashigi coughed a laugh and looked at my chest, then up to my eyes again. I reached out with my left hand to her shoulder and stared deep in her eyes. "Just don't… be too nice anymore." I rocked her, my hand wound its way down to one tip of a lock and pulled it down.

"Eee! Melon!" She gritted her teeth while still smiling. I let go and the silence hover down on us. She started to play with the water beside her and I could feel that we were both waiting and wishing for something we couldn't completely control. The marine sighed, shook her head as if waking up and looked at me with her bug eyes again and repeated. "Seriously though, thank you." She nodded. "Yeah." I accepted. This nicer last words delivered like an afterthought to find themselves, somewhere, in the space between us.

* * *

**Coming up…**

"Calm down, Roronoa. It's over." "Gaah! It's never over!" I yelled over reacting. "Don't you see? I'm the only  
one who has the right to make you feel bad about yourself and make you cry. And I'm the only person in this world who can make you feel so fucking good!" The sentence fell apart between us and I had to string the words back together.

-

"That was my first kiss. Don't tell anyone." I grinned. "Was that yours too?" I asked, cocking my head to the side.  
"No." Tashigi said under her breath. "What?!" I cried.


	15. Always serious

**Author's note; **This chapter I kinda like. I feel sorry for Zoro but... oh well, I want to make his life miserable. Anyway, since my scanner's fixed and I have a crappy deviantart, I might aswell draw some scenes, objects and Zoro and Tashigi from this story to give ya'll some images of what I'm writing and trying to picture out about. Like let's say their tribal clothes, the villages and all.

Crap, I talk to much again. Holla!

* * *

**Chapter 15; 'Always serious'**

* * *

In the middle of the floating village in the lagoon, there were large pointy boulders and at the sides were flat little islands of rock covered by moss at each sides. This is where the fish hunters usually stand and hunt. One large pointed rock had a rope around it and had flowers by its feet. I continued to observe the village, about where to go ad where to not go, also observing about their habitat and the people. The huts were all connected by floating logs which acted like their bridges and rails as ropes. The people here were not painted even the warriors and at the end of the village was a huge waterfall where now and again, young adults would test their courage and jump from the top of the waterfall to the lagoon. I was surprised to find out from Hek'oe that this was heavily approved by the adults forgetting the facts that this could kill the younger people. So many people were also canoeing nearby and others swimming around laughing and just having fun. It made me remember about all the simple pleasures in life.

Some from afar were on those little rock islands hunting for fishes. If I didn't know they were hunters, I would have thought of them as statues, they would not move until a fish floats up to the surface. I left the floating village and stroll around the woods. People were gathering fruits and vegetables, children running around their mothers and some young girls giggling at each other. While I keep scanning the crowd, I found out that the people weren't only gathering foods. Some people had their hands and foreheads touching trunks of some trees. They had their eyes closed and their mouth moving, like whispering to the trees. Others were balancing baskets on their heads while others hoisting them on their back. As I walked around, I noticed that the natives were avoiding me, always making a way for me to walk. They moved as far away from me as possible, like I carried a disease. I met up with the marine woman and she told me that Ruby was trying to be all friendly with the natives. He said he wouldn't let Tashigi be the only famous person in the Ungara people so he won't be walking with us for the time being.

All around us, we would always come across warriors in pairs, holding either a staff or bows and arrows. The place was heavily guarded and the guards would always eye us suspiciously, sometimes even stalking us. Little kids were trying to get near us and tried to touch our hands but they would laugh and back away. When we tried to talk to them, they all scattered and ran. Tashigi started to lecture me with all her 'knowledge' about these people. It turned out that these people treasured everything, they talk to the trees, to the plants, animals and thank them for all the food they have supported for them. They even honour dead animals. Tashigi found this very interesting and moaned about not having a notepad to jot down all her adventures and knowledge about the Ungara Tey people. I reflected on how these people treated their environment and compared them to the people of the outside world. The way I once saw the world changed and it harrows me with fear that I had one part of me that wanted to stay. I was dying to bring my nakama here and was so anxious to tell them about everything. I understood the people, I can see how they act this way and it brain washed me. All these made me hate the wars and the destructions caused by the people of the world. I was very different from what I was. Maybe it would be so bad to stay here after we get rid of the outsiders. Then again I'm an outsider myself... it's complicated.

"Hek'oe told them that to make the people trust and see us differently is to act like them." Tashigi said. "To see the world from their eyes and understand the forest. The forest is their God." She touched a tree trunk and leaned her forehead on it, then she spoke the tribe's language. My face broke into a smile, I looked around to see if there was someone around. "What are you doing?" I asked her. "Ssh! I'm concentrating." She scolded, trying to 'listen' to the tree. Out of curiosity, and feeling a bit idiotic, I touched the tree, having second thoughts and tried to 'listen'. Of course, there was nothing. Tashigi stepped back so I quickly pulled back my hand. The marine looked sad. She looked up to the tree, shading her eyes with her hand. "That didn't work." She sighed dejectedly. We started walking around the forest and only stopped when seeing an odd unknown plant. Even though the trees were normal in height, the plants were not, most of them were three to four meters in height. The marine's face brightened and she started to giggle while touching a purple flower mixed with indigo hues. And then she spoke in a different language again. I bent down beside her, studying the organism. "What are you saying?" I asked.

"Hek'oe told me the words!" She squealed. "Do you want me to teach them to you?" She asked eagerly and the way she said, there was no way I could refuse. I know she was going to tell me no matter what. Before I could even answer, she had already started. "_'H'nokt diuy run e t'k'arok.' _And it means 'Please keep on taking care of us' and _'Tahloso aer iweow laxev't amui rukoem.' _means, 'I apologize for all the wrong things I have done'. Both of these sentences are only used when talking to plants and trees, maybe to animals too." Tashigi stared at me while grinning from ear to ear. I stared at her with an expression I can only guess as puzzled or spaced out. They were all too hard to remember so I ignored and I was attacked by insults afterwards.

During our afternoon in the village, Hek'oe brought Ruby, Tashigi and I to one of those flat rock islands in the middle of the lagoon. He made us sit opposite to him in a row. He started teaching us some words and important basic phrases of the natives. "So you can feel mixed. You can feel and know what people are saying." He said with hand gestures. He started teaching us five important phrases, two were the phrases Tashigi taught me and three more were news to my ears. "We shall start with _'Kamatsa otsi da g'nomi karak, irog. Hmalio, woua rai muneti ke nixyt, yatipa.' _It means 'Thank you for your sacrifice, my brother. I pray you return back to world and run with your family.' You use that only when hunting. _'Botsan ika. Natna momayat bikolim atnu ve.' _It means, 'I feel you. Everything that lives must die. May you return back to forest.' Last important is _'Kamatsa buka'anut nikdosarina atwu taabun gi omi agma yonokike ok ya mei gokxus.' _It means, thank you for your kindness. I hope the forest treat you and your family very well." The old man paused for a drink in his gourd-jug. "We Ungara have saying to one another. It is very important and show great respect when you say this to someone." He held his hand forward and touched the left part of my chest, where the heart us. _'Oa've sing no'u' _for my people it means so many things." He dropped his hand. "It can mean; I respect you, I understand you, I can see who you are, I love you, I like you. Everything."

I didn't paid much attention to all the odd language but did listen to the translations. I was feeling too drowsy, this was a good time to sleep. The native's language was too hard to make out, they all kinda' mixed in with each other and the way Hek'oe said it, it sounded like he was eating his words. "I know it very hard. I will split words and say it slowly." The old chief said. My eyes started to become so droopy and my lids were becoming too heavy. My head was spinning and shit, I just wanted to take a long nap. Tashigi and I learned the language together, she was my 'teacher' because she knew better while Ruby and Hek'oe on a different rock, Hek'oe teaching the okama. "Okay, repeat after me." Tashigi said. "Tah-loso a-er iwe-ow-" She waited for a bit but when I didn't answer, she pushed slapped me on the forehead. "Wake up, Zoro!" She huffed and I groaned. Ruby started gloating. He learnt the phrases perfectly, although he had a bad accent. Tashigi and I kept going until she got tired and we didn't have anything done. "That was sad, Zoro. Very sad." She whined.

****

The next day, when the chief met up with us, she brought with her a young tribal girl. She was dark, had a short messy hair and had so many tribal accessories and had a bow and arrow as her weapon. She was the same height as Tashigi and probably the same age as Nami. Her name was Iral, pronounced as 'Ee-ral'. The girl just stared at us without any expression in her face. Hek'oe said she was to be our guide and she will teach us everything we have to know about the forest. It turned out Iral had a good 'outsider' language- probably even better than Hek'oe. "I have told her about you being brave warrior so she understand." He told Tashigi. Right then, we went about our business. The girl brought us all around the forest, high and low. We also made a lot of stops as she taught us about the different type of plants; about the important ones for the tribe and the dangerous man eating ones. She taught us about the animal territories and how to avoid them and maybe fight for our survival.

Iral taught us the proper way of 'communicating' with all the living organisms inhabiting the forest. She told us that we must always respect everything even to the smallest ants, so I guess we had to watch where we were going. Maybe some people would find it quite idiotic but I didn't think so, I think it was just fair and right. Soon, I started to admire and see the beautiful things all around us that I didn't before. "You should have seen it!" I said briskly to Tashigi, who was sitting on a high boulder. "I think they were birds though, I'm not so sure. But they were tiny, like fireflies but they had feathers." I kept talking and she was so engrossed at my story. I also told her about the predator and prey relationship of the animals and the balance of life and death of the whole of the ecology. Suddenly, I was so knowledgeable, it felt good for the first time I didn't felt dumb. "Ruby and I were chased by this large fucked up looking dog with a large horn and two long lion-like tails. I didn't kill it." I paused and leaned my back on the boulder. "It was only guarding its territory.

When I was telling her about my stories, Tashigi was only smiling looking down at me, she didn't said anything at all. She just, smiled. We started to go around the forest trying to remember the names and the role of the plants in its habitat. It started to rain but that didn't stop us. When I saw a perfect straight tree standing from my left, I touched it with my hand and leaned in my forehead and didn't said any of those phrases, although I did tried to listen to the tree. Then I stepped back and smiled up to it. I was a different person, I could feel the change that everything showered down on me. We kept going, showing off to each other that only one of us were good at remembering all the names of the trees and plants. "Oh, look." Tashigi tapped my back. I turned around to see a dead lemur sprawled on the ground. I felt sorry for it and feeling sentimental and driven, I bent down to its dead body, carried it to a dry place and started to cover it with green leaves. I touched its newly made grave softly and mumbled. "I feel you, my brother. Everything that lives must die. May you return back to the forest." Of course I found it kinda' lame the way I said it in my own language. I couldn't remember the Ungara words so sue me. I straightened up and when I turned to the marine woman, she stared at me with wide eyes.

Tashigi dropped her eyes down to my chest then when she returned her gaze back at me, she smiled so brightly, her wet face contrasted to her. "I thought- I thought you didn't learnt anything." She bit her lower lip and with her right hand, she pressed it gently on the left part of my chest. "Oa've sing no'u, Zoro." Tashigi giggled and slowly dropped it. Rain came heavily down on us. My right hand twitched and I lifted it slowly but stopped. "Well," I breathed. "I would want to do the same to you but," I paused and looked at her chest and nodded at it. "I can see that it's impossible to do it." "Mm, Zoro!" She laughed.

I always found myself so happy which was beyond my control, it was odd. Tashigi and I decided to go back to the village and on our way, we came across a group of warriors. Ki'teh was around and when he saw me, he lifted his pouted lips and gave me yet another look. This destroyed my good mood and my rage took over eventually so I held Sandai's hilt. He spoke to his people while looking at Tashigi then he pointed at her. "You two should not be here. You are a fake!" He rasped. "You have betrayed your people. How long will you betray us?" All the warriors surrounding us started to speak to each other, maybe agreeing with the tree frog. I gnashed my teeth and pulled an inch of Sandai. "You've crossed the line assh-" Before I stepped forward, Tashigi came in front of me and placed her hand on my chest. She stared at Ki'teh and then retreated, taking me with her.

It enraged me so much. Why can't that asshole just fucking give us a break?! "What is his problem?! You shouldn't have interfered. I would have cut that cocksucker in half." I growled into the sky kicking at the dirt. "So we'll never see his ugly bitch of a face anymore." Tashigi let go a breath and scratched her head. "Calm down, Roronoa. It's over." "Gaah! It's never over!" I yelled over reacting. "Don't you see? I'm the only one who has the right to make you feel bad about yourself and make you cry. And I'm the only person in this world who can make you feel so fucking good!" The sentence fell apart between us and I had to string the words back together. I pulled back my head when the words slowly build up in my head. Tashigi stared at me with her mouth hanging open, I didn't know whether she wanted to laugh or cry. "Oh shit." I whimpered covering my mouth. Tashigi blinked and lowered her head while shaking it. "Wh-what?" She gagged. "No… wait." I lifted my hand them scratched my eyebrows. "That- that came out wrong. Aah, shit." I tapped my bare foot on the ground trying to pick out the words I was meaning to say. "Uhm, no I was going to say that… I was… uhm, I am the only person," I looked straight in her eyes but I was shaking so much. "Who can make you feel good and happy… about yourself." I stopped and repeated the words in my head.

It was useless, I don't think it meant anything at all. I shook my head and turned around. "No, hold on." I started bumping my fist on my head. Tashigi giggled behind me then laughed. When I turned back to her, I was glad she too was blushing like hell. She covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking while she laughed. "It's uhm," She cleared her throat. "It's alright. I understand what you meant." I sighed in relief. "Good. I didn't mean to say what I did." I cleared again.

When it started to get darker, Tashigi brought me into another place, showing off and kept repeating that it will knock me dead and that she has seen better places than I did. I just shook it all off though and ignored her. She brought me in a place where there were short trees, about four meters tall. They had no leaves but that was the point. "Whoa." From the leafless branches were hanging thin strips of glowing gooey type of material. It was like a long nylon string but had round small pods only inches away from each other. They had the same glow as the pods and they all glowed in different colours and it turned on and off, like lights in the Christmas tree. There were so many of them almost covering the trunk and they looked like hair of the tree. They almost reached the ground. I looked closer and inside the small spheres were squirming larvae. I pulled back my head and snickered. "Hehe. The hell is this?" When I reached out to touch it, Tashigi stopped me. "Don't. They're very fragile. If you touch them, you might end up killing them." I nodded. "Right." She folded her arms across her chest. "See? Iral did brought me to the best places. Hah! I've seen better than you, Melon!" She scoffed.

We went between the trees and were careful not to touch or hit the strips of cocoons. Tashigi pointed closely to one sphere and started to laugh while talking to me. I wasn't listening to her at all. I was in daze, looking at her bright face reflected by the rainbow lights. She just kept talking, like a typical chatter box that she was and then she licked her lips. She turned to me and made a crappy smile. Crappy, but she was still… cute. Kuina's image flashed in me again and my longing for her crept from my abdomen to my chest. If you look closely to the person who had the exact same face as her, you can see that she actually is beautiful. I never thought I'd think about complimenting her this much. Never in my entire life did I thought about being in this perfect fairytale of a place especially with Tashigi, my –was- worst nightmare.

"Talk, Melon." She boxed my arm. "You grew your hair." I whispered and pulled a lock, pulling her head altogether in the process. "Yeah." She touched her head. I smiled and stepped closer. "Are you still afraid of me?" "Mm, no, I guess not." She grinned and clenched the fabric of her woven body bag. "Good. I need you to be not afraid." I said. "There's something I have always wanted to try. But I must do this with someone… a woman, especially." Her grin turned into a tight smile. "Uhm, okay?" I stepped even closer. "Don't freak out." I grabbed her shoulders very softly, my palm barely touching her skin. She forced a giggled but gagged instead. "Okay, I'll try." Tashigi whispered. "This has been bugging me since I was young and I… just want to try and see how it feels before I die." I wiped my nose and bent my face closer to hers. "Z-Zoro." She whimpered. I shook my head to one side. "Ssh, don't do anything at all. This will be quick." I stared and focused only on her thin lips. "I promise." I tilted my head to the side.

She closed shut her eyes while I looked at her face growing closer. When our lips met, I quickly pulled away and stepped back. It was so quick I didn't even know if her lips did touch mine. Tashigi opened her eyes and blinked a couple of times. The kiss ended as fast as a millisecond. The marine looked down and touched her lips. I cleared my throat and folded my arms. "Yeah, I just… wanted to know how that would feel." It was just a peck, nothing to worry, Zoro. You didn't do anything explicit. My companion looked sad and half surprised, she looked up to me. "Zoro, why… me?" She whimpered once again. Fingers still on her lips. "I'm not- don't you think I'm unattractive? Zoro, I'm not-" "Never ask 'why me?'" But she just stared at me so I sighedand rubbed my face. "What? Would you rather have me doing it with Ruby?" I interrupted, frowning at her and dropping my hands. "I'm serious." She shook her head and swallowed. "Why not your navigator? Or Nico Robin for instance? They both seem to be a perfect candidate for you." I sighed heavily and scratched my stomach.

"Nami will charge me and raise my debt. Robin- Robin's too… morbid and she'll rip my head off. And… they are both nakama. They are my family. It would be wrong to do those to my… 'sisters'." I didn't know if I explained it right but, we did labelled each other as 'family'. Tashigi licked her lips and blinked at me. "Me?" She asked, touching her chest. I shook my head, I wasn't thinking. No, I didn't want to think anymore. My hormones were rampaging inside. I sighed and took her hand off her mouth and bent down again. I wound my left hand around her waist and pulled her close. "Let me try that again." I kissed her longer this time, feeling her lips on mine, staying like that until I was satisfied. My main objective was to know how it felt to have another lip on my own. I pulled back and tilt my head to the other side and kissed her again. I moved my lips gently. Tashigi moaned and pushed me slightly.

So I stepped back and let go of her completely. My eyes I could feel were droopy and I pressed my lips together. "Mm, that was kinda'… sticky." I suppressed a smile and tried to act cool but inside, my veins ran dry. Tashigi was blushing like hell, I could tell by her quivering look, her lips glistening and parted. "That was my first kiss. Don't tell anyone." I grinned. "Was that yours too?" I asked, cocking my head to the side. She woke up and started to breath. "Uhm." She frowned then looked at me and bit her lower lip. "No." Tashigi said under her breath. "What?!" I cried. "I-I'm sorry." She clenched the strap of her bag tighter. "Who- Agh! It was you asshole of an ex-boyfriend wasn't it?!" I growled, completely enraged, and annoyed. "That same asshole who gave you the ring?!" "Technically speaking, I was the one who gave him the ring and…" She played with the fabric of her bag. "I was the… one who forced him into… uhm, kissing me." "Huh?!" My head lolled.

I was speechless and my mind went numb. Who would have thought someone as quiet and naïve as her would do such a… thing? Tashigi sucked in her lips and looked up to me like a little girl. I shook my head and licked my lips and pulled her to me again. "Okay, how did he kiss you?" Tashigi opened her arms and wrapped her arms around my torso and hugged me so tightly. She leaned the side of her face on my chest and chuckled. "It doesn't matter." She muffled. I did the same to her, holding her completely. I buried my face in her head and kissed it while closing my eyes.

There was no escaping. Our emotions were all too evident and our hidden feelings for each other were finally revealed. I nuzzled her forehead. We were both busted and we could not lie anymore and say this was a pretend. I was happy, so blissful but deep inside, a burden was building up in my chest. It was a heavy one. Even though I was so happy she felt the same way, I was already cursed by a problem. I knew this was wrong, this was a sin, a mistake. I have just made a false move. A silly mistake can change everything but I made a major. But nonetheless, behind all this, I hugged her tighter, her body so pressed on mine.

I kissed her forehead once again and when I opened my eyes, I sighed and thought to myself, _'What are you doing, Zoro?'_

**

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**Coming up...**

"You know, sometimes, I'm afraid to sleep." She leaned to the side to look at me without our face too close from each other. Tashigi looked at my chest then down to my stomach, her eyes dropping so slow. And when her eyes searched mine again, she smiled. "Because that maybe when I wake up, all these is just a dream."

Tashigi and I did some intimate things though, but they were only minor, a kiss in the nose, eyes, ear, cheek, forehead. Hugs here and there, that was it, we weren't too explicit on each other, maybe we might… move on to the… next level, maybe.


	16. So deed and insightful

**Author's note; **Here's another dramatic Zoro chapter. Oh and... yeah, I won't be updating for some time. Uhm, cuz' I need to keep gathering all the chapters I can make... if you know what I mean. Basically, I make five chapters before I submit a new chapter here but I was loosing track so... yeah.

I can only hope for more feed back. That's okay. Aye, holla!

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**Chapter 16; 'So deed and insightful'**

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Everything was moving so fast, I can't make sense with any of these. I rubbed my face as I lay in my hut staring at the brown straw ceiling and sighed so heavily. I don't know if I'm still pretending to be nice and friendly. I think I've crossed the line. The plan was to be friends with Tashigi, falling in love with her was beyond my control. I have already forgotten about all my questions surrounding her, about the ring, everything. I never thought it would come this far. My memories were like old forgotten news, I haven't even been thinking about it anymore. Maybe that was good. I don't know. Falling in love was like a one way ticket, once you succumb to it, you can never go back, you can't escape anymore. To think I'd end up in this shitty tight situation. Shit, what the hell did I put myself into? Everything was so different from what I was. Out there, I was different; a pirate living with his nakama, training to be strong and to protect. Here, I was another person; already part of the 'Ungara Tey' people who hoped to bring about peace and then, a lover? So opposite to what I am in the outside world. I don't know who I am anymore.

It was as if I was in a different world. All these thoughts were pushed aside. "Just enjoy what you've done, asshole." I said to myself. At least I should make the most of it, the taste of 'love'. The next thing I was doing was running around the forest with Tashigi, treating the hostile environment like a play ground and already forgetting our main objective- the key. We came to a full stop when we entered into thick fern bushes and large butterfly moths scattered around casting and sprinkling rainbow powders down on us. Tashigi and I both looked up, marvelling. I turned and stared at her thin pale back and a memory flashed in my eyes. I stepped forward. "Blue, seven months ago, what did you mean when you leaned on my back, crying?" I asked.

Tashigi slowly dropped her head and looked back to me. Silence took over until she took a deep breath. "What if I were Kuina?" She suddenly asked and changed the subject like she always did every time I bring her this conversation. I answered her question anyway. "Then-then what would be amazing. That would be great." I smiled happily. She dropped her gaze. "No, I think it's wrong." She said these even though she was still smiling. "I can never replace her." Tashigi turned to the front. "But if I were her, I'd be the happiest person in the world." She looked back to me again and laughed. "Because I'm a part of your life." She jogged towards a large protruding root hovering over a stream. I ran after her.

"What are you saying?" I asked and touched her shoulder. "Wha- you think you're a nobody?" I stared in her eyes. Tashigi, as always, just stared at my chest. "Don't look at my ch-" I pulled her ear to look at me. "Look at- look at my eyes, Blue, right here." I pointed at my eyes and she giggled at me. "Look you're not- a nobody, okay." With my other hand, I clenched her other ear. "You are a part of this life now." I shook her head with her ears. In return she took my nose between her finger and her thumb and shook my head with it too. "Still, I'm very happy to have spent so much time with you." She let go of me and jumped to the other side of the root. "We should go back to the village. Ruby's all alone. She'll be annoyed when she found out we're gone without her." Tashigi started skipping like a little girl while looking down.

I went to her side and kissed her cheek so fast it seemed like I pushed my face to her and knocking her head to the side in the process. The marine stopped and touched her kissed cheek and her mouth opened. She looked so surprised, then her blush took over the colour of her face. I grinned and winked at her. When we walked back, we walked back with our hands entwined together.

****

Our stay in the village seemed longer for me than it really was. I did a lot of things I could barely count all the activities. When my relationship with Tashigi started to get quite serious, I asked Hek'oe about the most amazing places in the village and I made sure that she hasn't been to any of them. "We have much too many. But I think Tashyeegi seen everything." "Crap." I sighed and leaned back. "But there is one more I think you two have not seen." He turned around and pointed to the cliff of the high waterfall. "There?" I asked. The chief nodded. "Yes. Very beautiful place. You see everything, even where main village is. Ask for other children how to get there. They will help you." "Alright." I agreed for the sake of it all. "And uhm," I leaned closer to him after looking around. "Don't tell Tashigi about it, okay?" I asked. He nodded and smiled. "I promise." I was glad there was something I did for Tashigi, I was also hoping though that she wasn't too afraid of heights. So that was that.

Hek'oe called for us to proceed to a larger hut in the centre of the village, just beside the pointy boulder. When we got in, there were kids sitting on the floor all looking at us. The old man told us to teach the kids our language even though I didn't understood why. We did anyway but only Ruby and Tashigi did much of the talking, I was just a bystander waiting if they needed me. Most of the afternoons, Iral would walk us around and teach us how the carnivorous plants attack. We saw how a two meter plant devour a forest deer. She taught us a lot of things and showed us the odd creatures. One that took my interest was a bird that when standing looked like a bright flower and only if you touch it and it flies would you know it is a bird.

One day I joined a swimming competition for the young adults, my enemies were the warriors and, shit! They were like sharks. They swim so fast but of course, I had to show them my skills, I'm a pirate for god's sake. In the end, I came only the third. Every night, there was a carousing and most of the men would invite me to drink with them. They could not speak our language so we were communicating by sign languages which in time, I started to get used too. If I were to think, I'd say the people were growing fond of us. They were different from how they acted towards us before. Now, they would wave and bow at me, some would even touch my heart and say 'Oa've sing no'u' to me. I was glad and to return their kindness and to make them trust us even more, we participated on their hunting and rituals of sacrificing fruits and vegetables to the forest. It was almost, like, we were one of them, almost.

I could speak their language but not too much, only a few. Most of the days when the warriors come and talk to me, they were heavily interested to my swords and they would ask me about where I got it, how does it work and how do I use it. I told them everything I knew and also shared them my stories about the outside world and how it looks and differ to this place. They were all so fascinated and wouldn't give me back to Tashigi and Ruby, always telling them to go away. It was odd but understandable. Every time I see Ki'teh his evil look would hardened and he looked like he was about to drink my blood. This humoured me of course and I had to always show that I was close to the warriors, closer than him.

There finally came a time where Tashigi and I were not disturbed or not told to do things for the people. It was a break. She was alone one time looking at the kids swimming in the lagoon. I came behind her and pinched her knee cap with my nails. She jumped and turned to see me. "Hello." I greeted and pinched her cheek. "Ow! Zoro." She moaned and wrapped her thin arms around my arm and sighed. "I'm so tired." Tashigi muffled. I buried my mouth to her head. "Me too." Then she started planting kisses on my arm. "Do you want me to massage you?" Tashigi looked up and nuzzled my throat. "Aha!" I pushed back slightly. "That tickles!" She stared up to me while I looked down at her. I bumped her forehead on mine gently and she looked at the people again. "Are you really tired?" I asked. "Why? What are we gonna do?"

I pulled back and lead her away to the back of the waterfall to where young wet and naked children were running just after they came out from the water. They started calling me names and laughed. I followed them climbing over to the rocky hill reaching out for something to hold on to. "Where are we going?" Tashigi chuckled. The kids were fast, acting like monkeys as they reached out for roots and trunks effortlessly and toss themselves up. Soon though, Tashigi and I reached the top. Wind blowing making the naked kids shiver. There were so many of them on top of the waterfall waiting for their turn to jump down while others stayed by the stream that flowed to the waterfall. "Oh wow!" Tashigi gasped looking at the view. The old man was right, you could see everything around here. You could see the whole forest of the island and you can almost make out the wires that connected the islands to one another and even the small dot figures of the cable cars. I twisted my neck around and everything was just green, there were some gray pointy rocks jutting out from the ocean of trees and others were really tall rock mountains.

The islands were all floating over the clouds and the ocean underneath us so huge and dark. Three kids jumped down to the lagoon. They had no fear at all. I looked down after them and they came crashing down as large water bombs. No one was afraid, not even the girls. "My god." Tashigi gasped clamping her mouth. And I thought this place was to be private, I wanted this to be private! "Let's go somewhere else." I dragged her away from the gremlins to the woody part of the hill where there were nobody. There was less commotion although you could still hear the screaming kids. I bent down and dusted off a flat rock and sat on one side of it. I looked to my companion and smiled and nodded at her. Tapping the empty side of the rock I grinned widely at her and gestured for her to sit down. Tashigi clenched her hands together and before stepping forward, she tuck a lock of hair behind her ear and sat beside me uncomfortably.

There was still a space between us, about twelve inches. I sighed and moved closer to her and wound my left arm around her back but didn't touch her at all. We were quiet, only the whispers of the wind, the echoes of screams of the children and the chirping of the birds. "Do you-" But she suddenly leaned her head on my chest making me shudder and panic about thinking of what to do. "Hum? Yes?" Her head shifted to my side. I cleared my throat and moved my head away from her as possible. "Nuthin'." I mumbled. This was awkward than what it used to be. Before when we were simple friends I could come up with everything but now, I was cracking up. I licked my lips. "This is like a dream, don't you think?" I came up looking around, trying to be poetic and all. In my shame, I was trying to remember what the cook always chants to Nami and Robin. But all the words he said we're not in my vocabulary.

"You're right." Tashigi answered, her voice levelled. Slowly, I moved my head to her and watch her speak but her head did not move. "You know, sometimes, I'm afraid to sleep." She leaned to the side to look at me without our face too close from each other. Tashigi looked at my chest then down to my stomach, her eyes dropping so slow. And when her eyes searched mine again, she smiled. "Because maybe when I wake up, all these are just a dream." My frowned eyebrows dropped and little by little, I knew my expression was changing. What if she was right? What if this is just a dream? Would I be disappointed? Or would I be relieved? I don't know the answer and like her, I was feeling dejected and suddenly, I had the feeling like some asshole just hit me in the chest. "Don't say that." I chocked. Tashigi lifted her right hand and touched my face. She chuckled and I smiled then we both lean in our heads together. While closing my eyes, I licked my lips and rubbed my nose against hers softly. "Zoro." She whispered and I wrapped the hand that supported her back around her waist and sighed modulated.

****

When night came, the torches were lit, the glowing pods shinning and the fireflies brimming with life, I brought Tashigi back to her hut. "Here we are." She sighed dropping her shoulders and turned before me, our hands entwined. We were both smiling at each other until I began to giggle. "What?" She asked swaying our hands. I shook my head and cupped the side of her face and lean in to kiss one of her eyes. When I parted, she hugged me yet again. "It's getting late. We need to take a rest for our final journey for tomorrow." Little by little, I had a feeling that our time was running out, it was just a feeling but… damn, I don't know. She pushed back and I looked down at her, the fire beside us casting a warm glow in her face, her eyes sparkles.

I lost it. I hugged her once again and kissed her fully. It was such a surprise she shuddered under me and I almost pulled back after realizing what I did. But I continued the simple pleasure, opening my mouth together with hers and locking our lips together. Soon, I felt our lips becoming wet and I actually find kissing okay, as long as you keep it clean. Tashigi wound her arms around my neck and pulled me closer and suddenly, sticking in her tongue between my lips. I pulled my face back but only slightly, not making too much room for too much space. "Hm! What-" "Sorry! I'm so sorry!" She panicked and looked like she just woke up. I nuzzled my nose on hers and grinned. "Is that how you kiss?" I asked. "W-well, uhm, kinda." "Okay." Just like that I pressed my lips on hers again and copied what she did, sticking in my tongue and didn't know what to do after wards.

Tashigi pulled back and laughed. "Oh, Zoro." "What?" I asked, lifting my eyebrows. She shook her head instead and kissed my throat. That's when I realized I was in so much trouble, I was imprisoned. I had succumbed to love. And to think I would not loose control, easier said than done. This was the second time our lips met and the first time we've done something so intimate. When her tongue touched my lips, it felt odd, alien to me, but I guess, that's really how they do it. Damn. Tashigi and I did some intimate things though, but they were only minor, a kiss in the nose, eyes, ear, cheek, forehead. Hugs here and there, that was it, we weren't too explicit on each other, maybe we might… move on to the… next level, maybe. Oh shit! Pervert! I have to move away from that. She caressed my face again. "I never thought I'd be able to do this to you." She said. "Good night, my sweet prince." Tashigi tip-toed to kiss my cheek.

I walked her over the bridge to her hut and when I let go and watch her back moving away from me, I couldn't stop myself from calling out. "Tashigi," She turned and I had already crossed the wide space between us and hugged her so tightly, wrapping her whole (like a Shanghai roll –joke). I shut my eyes tightly and squeezed her against my chest.

"Just one more hug."

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Coming up...

My head was spinning and my mind whirling. Tashigi was devouring my face. She took a deep breath and frowned with her eyes closed and clawed the rock behind me, her nails screeching. "Aaa~" She moaned, her face frustrated.

-

I saw a different person, someone so overcome with lust. Her eyes bloodshot- her nails scrapping the rock even louder. She was battling with herself. "I can't… stop myself." She rasped. My blood ran like ice through my veins and just so sudden, everything was so cold.


	17. As though you're

**Author's note; **Damn, I just realized, I'm not actually an author... Ah! I'm alive! Woot~! Finally, I've survived. I was about to cry because I thought I'm never be able to continue on this because of high school. Me don't like high school. Anyway, sorry for the I dunno, three weeks break? people. Here it is then... WARNING; Rape scene ahead.

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**Chapter 17; "As though you're"**

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South east from the village, there said to be a research camp heavily guarded with state of the art weaponry. The tribe people talked about men in thick grey skins standing all day long by the gates and automatic guns that fires on everything that moves from the outside of the research perimeter. It was like a large base camp with cylindrical three yellow buildings, polluted smoke rising from the units of wind pipes sticking out from the square roofs. The gates were thick with a large number six in red painted on it. Barbed wires were curling overhead. The guards were there with their thick armors, a pair of visor and those large guns, much like Franky's weapon arm.

Three units of intrepid Ungara warriors and I crouched just below the thick long reeds and bushes of the undergrowth that were preserved from being cut by the 'sea people'. We were all dispersed, everyone surrounding the four corners of the camp. We were all like jaguars crouched down below the rain forest world propelling towards the thinning proximity of the camp, ready to attack. I looked around. I was the odd one out, I was the only one who was not painted in black, carrying a metal staff or bow and arrow. Not to mention I had a green head which actually camouflaged perfectly around my surroundings. Nonetheless, I was almost one of them, almost. The leader lifted his fist just in level with his head. Then all the archers rose and sat on their right ankles and stretched their bows and arrows towards the automatic gun machines over each pillars of the gate.

Before the machines detected them, they all open fired and all metallic arrows pierced straight through the killer machines. They all exploded and that's when the alarm of the camp went off, red lights turning on and off. All the guards started to panic and got themselves readier than usual. The archers crouched back down but only arching their backs forward. It was my time to shine. I raced towards the dispersing guards with two of my swords held beside my body and Wadou tightly clenched between my teeth. The guards yelled at one another and started firing at me. Without even trying much, I dodged every bullets as far as the eye could see and when I was rushing to them, I twisted myself screaming, "Tatsumaki!!" All the guards flew up to the air, others fell on the ground, while some stuck dead on the thick barbed wire fences.

With a mighty swing of my sword, the large gate was pushed back hitting the building, some unlucky guards crushed between it and the building. I kept attacking, one after another and soon, all the warriors howled and joined in the massacre. A short yet meaningful battle took place, some warriors though got shot others were brave enough to challenge cowardly men hiding behind their armors. When all the guards from the outside ran out, the warriors and I rounded the camp, breaking through their metallic doors and entering the unknown building. Explosions started to take place at almost every research rooms. The cylindrical yellow buildings started to collapse and the leader brought all his men out. Outside, we witnessed the sixth research camp crumple on the ground, proudly. Some scientists and guards were taken in as prisoners and God only knows what they will do to them.

It was a small success and yet all the warriors started howling triumphantly, like it was the very first time they've won against those people. I grinned and screamed with them, lifting up Wadou to the air. When we came back to the village, it was time for the three of us; Tashigi, Ruby and I to say our farewell to the people. It was time to make our final journey to the main village. I bid my farewells to the hunters and warriors I came to befriend and to all the other midgets who had always made fun of my green head. It was the first time we saw Iral smile as she touched our chests. Suddenly, one by one, all the people of the tribe came to us and touched our hearts after stopping from one person to another. They were all smiling, everyone happy. When I asked Hek'oe about it, it meant that they were allowing us to move to the main village. They had accepted us. I remembered Hek'oe looking so proud. Failing him now would kill our consciences and ruin his pride.

"Take this." Hek'oe said and handed each of us handmade tribal bracelets made up from tree barks. "It is the only thing I can give." He smiled as usual. "I am very happy I chose right sea people." He brought us out of the village and into the forest yet again and when we reached by the stream, two large black hairless dogs with those giant horns were parked in front of us. Two men holding the dogs' necks and when we came closer, each dog kneeled on the ground for us to ride them. Tashigi straddled the dog in front of me and they seem to grunt at the weight applied. When we were set to go, the two men stepped back and the large animals started cutting through the thick dense forest.

They ran gracefully, hoping over extensive roots and dodging thick tree trunks and mossy boulders. They were so fast and strong it seemed they were doing this effortlessly. The air felt so good, I felt so free, it was almost as if I was flying. A pathway was made for us and at the sides of the road were the black creepy statues of the tribe. We entered the forest as fast as we left it and it became hard for the dogs to run around, the bushes were thicker and higher. Nonetheless, they were stubborn and thought ways to deliver us around. We reached a karsts region where the ground was a bright grey large rock with a few sprouting weeds jutting out from the cracks. The dogs took a break and we all slid down from them. Underneath the rock-ground, water was noisily flowing. "Did you hear that?" I asked, following the noise. Hek'oe smiled and started walking towards a big whole from afar. He bent down when he reached the rim and flung a hand for both Tashigi and I to come. We did and as we went closer, the emanating noise grew louder.

In the whole was an underground water world, like a huge basin. He suddenly jumped down, the water exploded at his sides. It was just below his waist, crystal clear, and his feet blurry yet visible. I did the same and was glad to feel that the water was not cold; it was warm, the current pushing me forward. "This is awesome." I grinned, flapping my hands in the water, colourful fishes started swimming closer to me. Natural stone pillars were holding the rock up, if you look farther, the cavern was jet black, so dark. I looked down to the probing fishes beside my legs and tried to catch one of them, until my headache terrorized. My lost memories started flashing in my head;

It was raining so strong, the thick raindrops stabbing like daggers down to my head. It was cold. "Zoro..!" The different voices were screaming for me. Then there were laughter and cries so familiar and slowly they evolved into a single voice. The next I was teleported in a different place, a small village with kids pulling me and I let them. I turned my head to the old smoking people and then "Zoro…" A soft and very familiar voice.

"Gaah!" I snarled blinking numerous times and hit the pillar beside me. I clenched my left temple and pulled my hair. "Zo..." Tashigi called over head. I looked up and she had one hand on the rim while the other reaching out for me. I took it and she helped me climb up. Once outside, I walked towards a flat rock and sat. "Are you okay?" She asked looking as worried like always. Tashigi started running her hand up and down my back. "What's wrong?" She asked again. I scrubbed my forehead and sighed heavily. "They are flashing back again. My memories. "With that, my companion pulled back her face together with her hand and looked to the front, her expression confused. We were both staring at the ground and quiet, only the water under the rock-ground making noise. "You know… I kinda' have- maybe- lost some memories too, when I was young." She whispered. I looked at her from the side. Tashigi lifted her eyebrows, smiled and shook her head. "I don't… know." She turned away. "It was all vague to me. I don't know my background actually. One day," She sighed. "I woke up in a marine hos-" "Eeek!"

We turned our head back to see Ruby's back to us. He was in front a large bush with red flowers all over it. He dropped something and bent down to acquire it back. "No, no!" He cried again. Just as I was about to meditate on those memories, he had to disturb. I tried to remember and gather again, digging into my conscious mind, but instead, my eyes wondered and saw Hek'oe feeding the dogs with his son. They were talking, Ki'teh nodding at him then he jogged to the whole on the ground and jumped down to it, the splash echoed. I looked back to Hek'oe and Ki'teh's two buddies came to him with a sack full of food… or something like that.

"Zoro, breath." Tashigi interrupted. I looked at her and she smiled brightly. "And everything will be okay." She slapped my cheek gently forcing me to pull a smile. I took her hand and squeezed it. "Ow! Roronoa!" She scolded and slapped my arm. "Look, look, look!" The okama came hopping towards us, his eyes on his balled shaped hands. He seemed to be holding captive inside it. He squat in front of us. Slowly, he opened his hands and odd looking insect emerged, or something maybe close to it. It was thin a small and looked like a small human. It had a long neck connected to a round bald head. Its yellow almond shaped eyes staring at us. It had two long arms and legs, a thread-like tail, two pointed ears and a pair of dragon fly wings. It was creepy with its indigo skin. The wings started to vibrate and just like that, it fluttered away carried by the wind. We looked up to it until it disappeared. "It's like a fairy." Tashigi stated.

"This place really is like a fairytale world." She continued and lowered her head and smiled widely at Ruby. "Then I should be the princess!" The okama toss his hands up.

We travelled riding the dogs all throughout the day. They were beginning to get tired and since Hek'oe announced that the main village was drawing near, the two large animals just started walking. "So, what type of people is in the village?" I asked, poking my head to the side. "Main village have so many people. So many Ungara people." The chief answered. "Five leaders await our arrival." The trees cleared and we were back in the karsts region but this time, there were tall pointed grey rocks, so clean and bright, as if carved manmade. Streams were flowing almost everywhere. We reached the entrance of the main village. Two stone arch at the sides beside two large trees. On the trees were guards with their metallic weapons. Just under the stone arch were curtains of thick green vines so we couldn't see what was inside, although, tree tops were peeking from the top. Two guards suddenly jumped from the nearby trees and howled to us.

Hek'oe did the same, sliding of the dog and pulling the rope around its neck. He howled in a high pitched voice and lifted his right hand. Ki'teh and the two other tribal men lifted their weapons to the air and made a deep odd noise with their throats, almost howling. The two guardsmen grinned happily under the bright piercing sunlight and lifted their hands too. They talked with the chief shortly and stepped back for us to enter the village. Like a curtain, the thick vines opened up from the middle revealing what was inside. We entered. At the beginning, I thought it would be another karsts world but I was wrong. The village was yet like those in the forest. Blue crystal clear waters surrounding the area with tall lush mangrove trees at every corners. The roots were long a big, huts were under it and over the tree tops were tree houses. Those were connected with the other tree houses from other mangroves through a series of vine bridges. The village was so big and full with people and domestic animals. It was as if this world was separated by that large gateway.

All the people turned their full attentions to us which became so embarrassing especially when we left the dogs. Some people were canoeing by the flowing streams, kids from the vine bridges looking down at us; everyone had stopped from whatever they were doing and stared. We walked through the curious looking natives, Hek'oe talking to them until we reached a large intimidating cavern looking like a large opened mouth. It was dark inside but yellow lights were glimmering from deep within. We entered, the roof was so high up, all covered by large glowing pods and already, fire flies were hovering about them. Sharp rock formations from the ceiling were pointing down at us. As we turned into the curve, there was a thin and long rock bridge connecting to the middle. Around the middle was a body of water and on it, were the five leaders, their features lit by the standing torches at the sides.

They stopped talking when they sensed us and looked back. Everything about them slowly came into view as we walked in closer to where they were. They all seemed to look the same to me; big, bulky noble men with black paints, cool tribal accessories and piercing with their serious looking faces. All their weapons were made up from gold, just like the sword in the main island. Their eyes started to flutter from one of our faces to the other. Hek'oe nodded to them and they talked. He stepped aside and pulled Tashigi's shoulder slowly while he kept talking to them. One by one, the leader's eyes widened, maybe in disbelief. I hoped I could understand them. Tashigi was rigid beside Hek'oe, pulling a tremulous smile that neither one of the arrogant bastards exchanged. That was the last time I've seen her after Ruby and I were kicked out of the cavern. I guess they didn't need us.

Tashigi and I started walking towards the river, her other hand pulling me while the other hugging a flat basket against her hip with a newly made flimsy tribal skirt, a wooden pail, sweet smelling leaves and fruit peels. She was different than the last time I left her with the leaders, she was jumpy now, so clear of all the worries and pressures laid on her. I rolled my eyes. "I said its okay…." I mumbled. "I said it's not okay." She laughed and pulled me stronger. "How many days have you not taken a bath?" Tashigi pouted, looking back to me. "I don't know." I shrugged. "I lost count." "See? Personal hygiene is very important for a human being!" The river was wide, flowing to the right from a huge body of waterfall. Tashigi hopped on a rock by the river and made me sit on the water in front of her. The water was cold and just below my chest while she was sitting behind me, opening her legs wider for me to have a better space, her knees just beside my shoulders.

"Hold still, okay, I'll make this very quick." She tapped my head and started scooping water with the pail and pouring it down on me until I was completely wet. I just stayed motionless and kept my head slightly down while she started rubbing my back with the leaves. "What were you guys talking about in the cave?" I broke. "Nothing much…" Her quiet low voice hummed. She started rubbing on my right arm up and down. "I can do it." I turned my head to her and reached for the leaves but she had already moved them away from me. "No, no. I want to do it." Tashigi replied with a deep voice. I sighed in defeat and looked forward again.  
"Did they say anything about me?" I asked again. ".. not really." The scent of the leaves were quickly spreading around me, I smell like a fruit vendor. "How do you mean?" After that she didn't answered and just kept rubbing at my right hand. "Tash?" I turned my head but she made me look to the front. "They didn't like me." She shot. "What?" I made a turn and looked up to her but she had wrapped her arms around me and her face already at my jaw. "It doesn't matter… I'll prove them wrong." She kissed my jaw and pulled away then twisted my shoulder for me turn to the front again.

"What did they said to you?" I turned my head but she pushed it back again. "I'm a woman. I guess it kinda' freaked them out knowing that I'm the 'brave warrior'. It's alright, I'm used to those. Buut~!" Before I said something, she had already interrupted. "I am not lonely." Her hands moved up to my shoulders then to my left arm. "Really?" "Okay so maybe I am hurt… a little." Her smooth yet scary hands ran down scrubbing my chest then down to my torso furtively. It felt good but then she bent her face down to the side of mine, breathing warmly against my wet skin. Both her rubbing hands went down to my waist and at my sides. I held my breath and closed my legs slowly. She stopped and chuckled beside me. "Lift your legs and rub this on them." Tashigi whispered and gave me the leaves. I did what she told me, lifting both my legs up to the air. Her arms started tightening around my neck. "Do the same 'down there'." Her voice husky with excitement when she teased. I swallowed hard and grumbled and at the same time dipped the leaves down to my private part.

While I was busy, she started planting kisses on my shoulder then up to my neck and jaw and sometimes even sucking on the drops over my skin. My hands went slower until I weakened and without my own volition I let go of the leaves and they started to flow with the current. At first, I didn't know how to react whether to pull away or enjoy. Her hot tongue shot out and started to slither over my skin, licking and delving sending hot waves through the bone of my left shoulder. I pulled myself slightly away from her assault. "Tash-igi, what… are you doing?" It seemed to me like a rhetorical question, I didn't mean for it to sound the way I let it go. Tashigi got up and straddled my waist, her expression blank and she seemed calm. She dipped her face to mine again but deflected my mouth and started rubbing her cheek against mine. I thought about going with it holding the sides of her waist and nuzzling her long thin neck. Tashigi lifted her head for me to get a better access and slowly, soft noises vibrated from her neck she giggled when I kissed the base of her neck noisily.

She pulled away, her hands on my shoulders looking at me with those expressionless eyes again. We stared at each other as if in a trance but her smile faded when her eyes lingered over my lips. Without any alarm, she lunged herself to me, her hot mouth glued to mine and like an arrow, her tongue stretched in, going deeper in to my mouth, delving and exploring. My head was spinning and my mind whirling. Tashigi was devouring my face I could barely breathe at all. When my body demanded for oxygen, I had to pull her back and gasp for air and quickly as we parted, I covered my mouth and looked at her with fear. I was terrified and tried to tell myself that fear was pointless, of course, I couldn't lie to myself. Tashigi took a deep breath too. Her hands left my shoulder and balanced on the rock behind me, her nails scratching. "Aah~" she moaned, shutting her eyes close, her face flushed. She started licking on her front teeth and when she looked at me, I saw a different person, someone so overcome with lust.

Her eyes were bloodshot, her nails screeched louder on the hard rock. I knew right then what was happening. The marine was fighting with herself; she wanted me so badly her frustrations cleared her emotions… I guess. Tashigi dropped her forehead on my shoulder and whimpered but pulled back and started wiping her lips on my skin again. "Zoro," She muffled against my skin and groaned while she battled with herself. "I… can't… stop myself." Tashigi rasped and returned to kissing me again and started nibbling on my skin. I gasped loudly, my breath shaking. Even though it was all so enigmatic, at the same time, all this felt familiar, like I've done this before. My blood ran like ice through my veins and everything went cold. Her tongue flickered itself on my skin making it wet and slimy. "You are my food, Zoro." Tashigi whispered against my ear and kissed it. "You better stop me… before I do something… bad. Chehe!" She chuckled and drew her teeth on my neck. Because of that, I had enough.

"Daah!" I gagged and pushed her back but she wrapped her arms around my neck and kept glued against my chest. "Wait! Tashigi!" I cried but she bit harder. This woman is crazy! I pushed her harder until she finally let go and sat back. The marine stared at me under her eyebrows while I covered each sides of my neck. "W-what…?" I whimpered. Her eyes trailed down to my chest and as if waking up, she blinked a lot and shook her head. She frowned looking up to me again and I braced myself. Tashigi got up and walked over me, "I better leave you to freshen up." She said before disappearing. "I'll be by the village."

I didn't look back to her thinking it may add into the fuel and she might suck out my tongue during the second attempt. I was frozen on my place, so motionless even the water around me went still. When life fell down on me, I shook my head. My hand went up to the bitten neck and her saliva was still there, coating my skin and with my finger tips, I felt the small remnant marks of her teeth. "What the hell was that?" I whispered.

When I saw her again just shortly after the 'rape scene' she looked annoyed, humiliated, disgusted of herself. She was making a whole on the ground just by glaring at it. Without looking at me, she took the basket off my hand and shook her head to the right and lifted her eyebrows. "Come- come with me." She gagged. I kept peeking at her from the corners of my eyes searching if the clumsy idiot was back and that maniac gone. I only looked away when looking to where I was going. Also, I made an extra space between us before she lunged in to ambush me again. "Stop," She rasped and lifted an eyebrow at me. "Looking at me." She continued and when she looked up to me, she looked like she was about to cry, her face beet red. Tashigi looked to the side one hand covering her mouth and a smile broke in my face. "Look, I know what I did there was stupid, ignorant and… and… perverted." She hung her head despondently but then she took a deep breath and glared at my chest. "I'm sorry." "Hahaha!" I laughed at her clapping my hands together. "Wow, you really-" I paused and covered my mouth while studying her. "That was scary." I cleared my throat. "What happened back there?" "I don't… know." She murmured.

Tashigi frowned while looking around and wiped off the tears welling at the rim of her eyes. She suddenly smiled but tried to stop it when looked at me. "It's your fault!" She jabbed my rib and snarled at me. "What?!" My voice cracked. "You seduced me." The marine pushed me and looked to her side to hide her emotions. I stayed where I was bending my upper body to the side and grinned mischievously at her, adding into the fuel, making her face look even redder. "Ah, so you do think I'm gorgeous." I teased. "You wanna hug me~! You wanna kiss mee~! I know you want me~!" I started singing.

During dinner, Tashigi and I sat beside each other in front of the camp fire together with the other people. I was busy playing with my ring and that now and again I kept stealing glances at Tashigi's identical one. My frustrations took flight. I hated her ring. Why must she wear it all the time? She's broken up with that asshole ex of hers so why still wear it. I took her left hand and slid off her ring and together with my one, I imprisoned them between my hands and started shaking them together. I started blowing in from the whole of my fingers. "What are you doing?" Tashigi asked but I continued to do my own 'voodoo'. I came to a stop, took one ring and slid it in my finger and did the same to her. "From now on, these rings are ours." I kissed her left hand and then made it touch my heart. "You are now completely connected to me. Forget about that asshole. Pretend he never came in your life." And with this, Tashigi smiled and water started welling up in her eyes again. "Aw! Look! You're making me cry!"

We laughed quietly together but deep inside I was hoping and praying that all of these were not pretend, that we really are truly connected to each other. It was all fast, reckless and childish and we've only been with each other for weeks. But I didn't care anymore, in my heart, she was mine. This feeling was just too good, it was almost like I've felt this before. Tashigi and I got separated once again when Hek'oe took her from me and together, they went in to the leaders' cavern. I followed behind them but only stopped and stood at the entrance. Neither knew about my existence and I watch them descend into the darkness of the swallowing cave. The night was getting late and even though my eyelids went droopy and my stance faltering, my legs shaking, my head going numb, I stayed by the entrance, waiting. I can't just give up and leave without saying good night to her.

I stayed standing there for three whole hours until finally, Tashigi's thin figure came walking out, one hand holding a torch up. She stopped when she seemed to have spotted me. Life came back to me and all my tiredness evaporated. I blinked a couple of times, smiled widely like an idiot and moved for the first time in three hours. "Zoro? Is that-?" Tashigi stepped forward, lifting the torch higher making her face glow into yellow. "Wh- it's already so late!" She cried and took long steps to reach me. Her bright smile made my heart jump. "What are you still doing here?" She held my wrist and smiled warmly at her, my eyes drooping. "I wanted to make sure you get back home safely." I whispered. She came to open her mouth but stopped and only reciprocated my tired smile.

I took the torch from her hand while she wrapped her thin arms around my right arm and we both walked into the still peaceful village towards her hut on top of the mangrove trees. I wasn't allowed further to her hut so I watched her ascend over the vine ladder and up inside the large window of her hut. One last time, she cocked her head out from her window and smiled widely at me. "Good night." Tashigi said softly then she pulled herself in. "Night…" I echoed, still looking up. Even though my work here was done, I still found myself looking up at the darkness of her small abode, waiting. I didn't know why. After about maybe twenty minutes I stabbed the tip of the torch on the ground and I leaned back on the roots of the mangrove, head lifted up to watch Tashigi's hut. Everything was very quiet and peaceful it was almost eerie, the fireflies hovering around as if the place was sacred. They started to hypnotize me, my eyes going around in circle. But tonight, I didn't want to sleep no matter how tired my body was. I wanted to be a soldier and while Tashigi's asleep, I will stay awake protecting and watching over her…

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**Coming up…**

"So, Zo-chan, anything you need to tell me?" Ruby said, chewing.  
"No there isn't." I said simply, making it sound like I was telling the truth. "Really?" He placed one elbow on the table, his chin on his palm and his full attention to me. "I'm no idiot, Zo-chan. I saw you both having sex in the river yesterday."

-

I started thinking about it. What if Tashigi and I would really take our relationship to the next level? I wonder how she would react if I ask her to it. What would she say? When and where would we do it? I wonder how it would feel, how would she feel? How she would look like. More over, how 'does' she look like?


	18. Always in control

**Author's note; **Nm.. got nothing to say. I guess reviews will always be appreciated, don't wanna review, it's alright! Now then...!

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**Chapter 18; 'Always in control'**

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_Tashigi was crying in front of me, she looked so pathetic, her face smudged with tears and mud, her eyes red from crying too much. She looked so sad, my chest ached to hold her but in return, I turned away and started walking off. And just as fast as I turned, her body collided with mine, her thin arms digging on my back crying for me to stay. Tashigi's thin muddy arms snaked in to my chest and held me tightly. Her scars opened up and they started to bleed so much everything was smothered with red. "Zoro! Zoro!" She kept sobbing my name._

"Zoro… Zoro!"

I woke up from Tashigi's voice reaching out for me. When I opened my eyes, I smiled. Her modulating face came into view and I was glad because it was always the first thing I see every morning if not, then Ruby's ugly face. The feeling of longing for someone was filled. I grinned like an idiot even though my eyes were still closing now and again. Reaching out for her elbows I mumbled. "Hey..." I pulled back my hand, rubbed my face with it and combed back my hair. My legs and arms were weak it felt like tickling when I tried to put force on them. So Tashigi bent closer and pulled me while wiping the corners of my eyes. "Why are you sleeping here?" She asked and there was already concern in her voice. She started wiping my face with her fingers and wiped the dripping saliva off the corner of my mouth with her thumb. I started dusting my ass while she greeted the people around 'good morning' with not much enthusiasm. "Zoro," Tashigi held my waist and made me turn my attention to her. I did, smiling down at her dismal face. "I dreamt about you." I started. "Why are you sleeping here?" She asked ignoring me her voice suddenly rising. "You could have caught a cold." Her voice broke. "Is there a problem with your hut? I can arrange that with Hek'oe."

I shook my head and took her hands and pressed her warm palms on my cheek while I closed my eyes feeling the tension in my head. I was still so drowsy, my eyes were so stubborn. "I wanted to guard you." I wasn't sure if she heard it right. My tongue was twisted and my words mixed into one. "What-? Zoro." She sighed and leaned her forehead on my chest but pulled it back quickly. "I already told you-" "I don't take orders." I dropped her hands and stepped back, frowning at her. "I decide what's best for you and what's not!" I hissed back but could not completely show the vehemence in my tone. The marine looked at me surprised but she shook her head and did not falter at my impending threat. "But you're not thinking about yourself!" She narrowed her eyes. "You could get sick!" Her voice rose but she tried not to gain too much attention. I stared at her incredulous face clenching my jaws then turned around and took a deep breath. "Why are you doing this to me?" My voice was calm but tremulous. I twisted my neck back to look at her. "What are you so mad about?" I shook my head and lifted one hand just beside my shoulder. "I only… wanted to make sure you're safe." "You don't have to do this." Tashigi grabbed my arms and went closer to my face, her large blue eyes taking up all my vision.

I looked away feeling like a total asshole. I can't pretend and lie that I was not upset, because I was, deeply. This was not what I had expected. I only wanted to make her happy but it turned out the opposite. She took my chin and made me looked down to her, her smiling face was back again. But not as bright as what she always had. "Look, okay. You are very sweet. That was really sweet. All women would die to have a man like you." Slowly, she slid one hand down to mine and ran it up and down, soothing me. Tashigi looked up to meet my eyes again. "I appreciate that… so much." Sighing heavily, she leaned her forehead on my chest again and whispered very softly, "If something happens to you…" Her body rocked and she shook her head. "I don't know what I'd do to myself." She smiled up to me again, staring at my parted lips. "I can't afford of loosing you or get you into serious trouble just because of me." Tashigi squeezed my arms and looked to the side. "I don't want you doing these things for me." She reached out and locked my face between her hands. "You are very important to me, more important than my dreams. Do you understand that?" She stepped back holding my hands and cutting her eye contact from me, but I stayed intact.

"Okay. I'm sorry if I'm making a big deal out of this it's… just…" Another heavy sigh. "Crap… I don't even know what I'm saying anymore. I'm not making any sense." She clenched my hand tighter. Her longing became visible each second. "Zoro…" She yearned for me. "I'm sorry." Was the only thing I could make up. "No don't." Tashigi squeezed my hand tighter. "Do not apologize. You think you were doing the right thing. So don't." She wrapped her arms around me and by that, I know everything was okay, everything was back to normal again. I was glad she wasn't mad at me at all. I hugged her back, tightening my hold. Early in the morning and there was already drama. I bent down to kiss her ear and whispered. "Good morning." It was late but what the hell. We parted slightly and she chuckled against me. "Good morning." She repeated. Tashigi stepped back, licked her lips and pulled me one handed. "Let's go help set out for breakfast."

But of course when we got to the long table, everything was already set out. This time, we did not sat on the ground. There was a long huge table for everyone. The adult's table and children's table separated and a separate table for the leaders too. Hek'oe was one of the leaders so obviously he sat among them and no longer with us. Ruby came walking towards us still yawning and a white mark running from one corner of his mouth down to his chin. "This fucking bracelet's really annoying me!" He growled already. I looked at him from the side and he was pulling off the competition's silver bracelet. I had almost forgotten about it, mine was still around my left wrist. "Fuck! It's tightening up again!" The okama started slamming his wrist on the table. "I have this for three whole years now." Ruby gave up and dropped his chin on the table instead. "I know, it's really irritating." Tashigi interrupted. "Maybe if we were devil fruit users we're able to get rid of this." "Men, fuck devil fruit users!" The okama continued to curse, a strong sign of a bad day. Tashigi moved slightly away from him, stricken. "They are not strong, okay! Sure they all got them colourful abilities and shit but that ain't real strength! Seriously. It's artificial! Without those they are nothing!" Ruby toss his hands up and sat up properly. "Real strength is like Zo-chan's strength. You dig? I mean pure muscle strength without them power and shit!"

"Take off them devil fruit powers and see what those assholes can do. If I wanna be strong I ain't gon' eat no fucked up mutated swirly fruits." For the first time, I kinda' agreed with his point and it was convincing. But I do know that Luffy had pure strength though. I'm not completely biased. From behind, a girl was poking Tashigi's shoulder so she looked back. "Leaders want you sit there." The girl said in a monotonous voice and left. We looked at the leader's table, Hek'oe was the only one smiling. Tashigi looked at me. "Go ahead." I nodded. "Are you sure?" She asked and I nodded again. Tashigi stared at me while standing up and leaving, she only broke the contact when she started to turn her back. No, I wasn't sure. I didn't want her to leave at all. I wanted her safely beside me, always. "Wow, she really is like royalty now." Ruby said beside me. "Dang. I hope I had that tattoo." I kept staring at her back. She sat beside Hek'oe and they talked and obviously I couldn't hear them but I hoped I could.

Food was served individually by the older women and I stared at it but my mind still to my woman… or something close to it. "So, Zo-chan, anything you need to tell me?" Ruby said, chewing. I looked at Tashigi's back again. "What… what are you talking about?" "Oh come now!" Ruby sighed. "I know something's going on between you and Tash-Tash." "No there isn't." I said simply, making it sound like I was telling the truth. "Really?" He placed one elbow on the table, his chin on his palm and his full attention to me. "I'm no idiot, Zo-chan. I saw you two having sex in the river yesterday." I gagged and spat out the native food back to the plate and wiped my chin. I looked around and sighed in relief after remembering that not everyone here could understand our language. I blushed crimson but tried to hold the level of my voice. "Have you been-? We were not-! You have got it all wrong." I shook my head simply and turned to my food again pretending I wasn't nervous. "Suure." He teased in a deep voice. "Tash-Tash was moaning and all." He flicked a small fruit into his mouth. "You two really got me turned on. Mm~!" He wiggled his eyebrows up and down while chewing.

"You stop it, okama!" I threatened pointing at him but deep inside I was panicking. "Nothing happened, alright!" I reached out for a juice. "She slipped, okay." "And landed on top of you and started moaning? Fine by me." He shrugged. While I was eating quietly hoping he'd forget about it all, Ruby didn't gave up and gave me a flirtatious stare. He winked. "We haven't reached on that level! Yet..." I suddenly blurted. "Aha! So there really is something going on with you two!" He stood up and started dancing. "Oo! Oo! I am good!" He cheered and I pulled him back down. "What? Are you jealous?" I tried to smirk and the okama gave in, looking heart broken. His face dismal and he pouted. "Of course! I always thought Tash-Tash was a lesbian. She looks like a young boy, especially when she's serious." "Fuck no." I disagreed, nibbling on some unknown meat. "Don't worry, Zo-chan. I ain't tellin' her that I know." He sniffed. "Even if it hurts…" But he turned jumpy again. "She'll freak if she know I know, you know?" "That's better." I nodded. "Now you know that I want you to give us space." I started drinking. He became eerily quiet while I dine so I turned to him. Ruby was staring at me incongruously with large eyes. "What?" I lifted my eyebrows. "So," He bent closer. "Did you two really had sex?" I dropped my food and glared at him. "Ruby!" I scolded. "What?" He lifted his shoulders and hand. "I just want be kept up to date."

After that, Ruby did not annoy me anymore but that didn't stop the feeling rising up to my throat. Now that he's put my mind about all those lecherous thoughts and talks, my mind just would not let go of it. I started thinking about it. What if Tashigi and I would really take our relationship to the next level? I wonder how she would react if I ask her to it. Would she want it? Should we do it later? Or now? I wonder how she would look like. My mind started reeling and gave me a vision of her naked under me. Her cheeks pink and eyes sparkling… I wonder how she would sound like, her soft moans. What would she say? When and where would we do it? I wonder how it would feel, how would she feel? How she would look like. More over, how 'does' she look like? H-o-l-y s-h-i-t. What am I thinking!? I started to feel blood rising up to my nostrils I had to pretend I was looking up to the canopies just to lift my head. My fourth sword had awakened again, I had to close my legs together tightly. It was all Ruby's fault! Blame everything to him! He's the culprit! He's a bad influence! I know I really should not hang out with people who'll taint my innocent mind!

When breakfast was over, people went about their business again and the kids started running around. Tashigi came with the five elders towards me and Ruby and started to introduce us to them one by one. While she was talking, all the five older men were staring at me with a rather hawk-like scheming eyes. Hek'oe translated everything Tashigi was saying. The leaders started whispering to each other while they looked at me. It was insulting, it was rude. "What are they saying?" I opened my mouth interrupting them and Tashigi. They all turned to me especially Tashigi. The five leaders narrowed their eyes at me. Hek'oe cleared his throat and said, "They are saying that you could be a good 'Hnguti nolo'." One leader spoke to him while glaring at me. "How long have you been a warrior, Zoroh?" Hek'oe asked. "For…" I paused and counted roughly. "About nine… ten years?" Hek'oe translated and the leaders spoke among each other again. "They say you are still too young." The chief answered. I swallowed. "Tell them, I am older than I look." Hek'oe flashed a proud smile at me and spoke.

The leaders finally left much to my relief and before they did, they told Hek'oe that they needed to talk to Tashigi later on. Tashigi agreed. It was time to go around again getting to know the people and everything surrounding us. It was becoming a habit. The chief brought us to where to young men were fighting each other on top of a round boulder pushing and beating each other off the boulder. Spectators were at the sides cheering and howling. One boy punched his enemy in the face blood spitting out. "Oho!" I sniggered. This was my type of show. "What the fuck is this?" Ruby grimaced. "Shouldn't you stop them? It's like a cock fight or something." He turned to the chief. "This is match for young warriors to see who is stronger. They push each other off the rock. Who falls is loser." The boy who got rammed in the face fell unconscious on the ground, out of bounce. His enemy jumped over and helped him up.

Hek'oe started walking again, turning east… or west, I don't know. "We came in very good time." He said. "This time of year, many young warriors train to hunt." I looked at the young people learning archery by the small meadow, aiming and firing at a made up straw target. Older archers training them and after seeing Hek'oe, they bowed and continued. He brought us everywhere like he always does. He brought us in a karsts area deep within the forest, to their fruit and vegetable farm where many people harvested and everywhere the eye could not see.

We came back to the village separating with the chief and by the time we walked past a hut with only a high woven wall without any ceiling –probably not a hut at all- older women grabbed Tashigi and strode her in. Ruby and I stopped and looked after them. We heard the tribal women laughing and after them Tashigi saying, "This one too? But I ne- whoops!" I frowned at that and stepped forward. "What are they doing?" I asked, curious. "Oh, no wait! Please!" Tashigi continued crying. I panicked and wished I could see through the woven covers. What could they be doing to her? And just like that, as if nothing happened, Tashigi came out, looking different. I pulled back my head and Ruby whistled. She had new tribal clothing, all in green. Her bra was different, not horizontal but looked like a criss-cross bra that was tied behind her neck. Her skirt was shorter and made up of a flimsy green woven fibre. A bunch of red and orange feathers with some beads hanging were tied around her left temple pulling back her hair. "Well look at you." Ruby came to her putting his hands akimbo.

"They said I did not look like a woman with my past clothing…" She stammered, casting her eyes on the ground coyly playing with the strap of her woven bag. I cleared my throat and looked around just to show I wasn't much engrossed. "It suits you." I scratched my neck. "I don't like this skirt!" She complained and pulled the hem of the rough green fabric lower. "I'm not comfortable with any of these." She pouted and covered her chest with her arms, hooking her hands over her shoulders. "I feel so naked." Ruby came and took off her hands. "No, no! You're beautiful." And suddenly, he made goo-goo eyes on her and kissed her cheek. I blushed and sucked in my lips when the okama checked me from the corners of his eyes and winked. "Hey you back off, okama!" I snarled at the traitorous 'not-man' and pulled the thin woman. "Wohow! Where's the fire!" Ruby laughed and jumped back putting his hands up. "Come now, Zo-chan!" He rubbed his chin. "I dig men, okay?"

Men started howling by the gate so we looked to see what was going on. The green vine curtains were split in half and a large group of beat up looking tribal men came in. Most of them had bandages around them smudged with dried blood. All of them were painted in black and most of them looked injured and tired, their weapons coated with blood. The people started running towards them dropping their, others crying while some were happy to see them. They looked like they came from war, or maybe they were hunting and killing the people of the sea, us, the outsiders. We came closer listening to them making noises. From the right, the howling grew louder and from that area, the leaders came to greet the beat up warriors touching their chests and tapping their backs. Even though looking like they could no longer lift a hand, I felt the eagerness in them still living on to fight for another day- the causes of the simple cheers and encouragements of the people around them for the sole reason to get back their freedom and what was rightfully theirs.

When the sun disappeared and the moon and the stars took over, we situated ourselves by the large fire again. The warriors who were not completely injured told their stories, Hek'oe translating the words to us. I wasn't paying much attention. I was looking at the woman behind the fire a couple of feet away from me. Tashigi sat with the leaders and now and again, I would wink at her. Soon, a large woman came to the front and started singing. Her voice very soothing yet eerie, it sounded like one of those songs telling stories. Drum rolls and wind instruments playing at the background adding to the emotion of the music. I listened very carefully, not caring what it meant. Children started singing together with her.

"The mating ritual is almost here." Hek'oe interrupted me in my thoughts. I looked at him from the side. He was smiling while looking at the children. "We do this until the day comes. It is like festival." He shook his head. "Very important festival. It is the day after tomorrow, when the large circle at night is very big and blue. Where men come and choose their mate. We call it 'Na'lu kiami'. Is okay if some people don't want to do it but it is very good for confession. It also the night when large round flowers, you know, spray their uh… seeds and seeds explode to the air like stars." I nodded. "You mean like fireworks?" I asked. "Yes, yes. Like fireworks."

I turned my head forward and thought that maybe if I knew something like this was about to happen I should have had done what I did to Tashigi that caused us to be in this way. Her yellow face took my attention again from behind the great fire. The woman's voice came higher making Tashigi's face brighten with every hum of her voice. The night angered me yet again, after the gathering around the fire I did not have the chance of meeting Tashigi, again. She was separated from me and brought in to the cavern yet again. If I was beyond my control I would have had barged in to that cavern and take her from them.

"Tash!" I called out after her by the time I spotted her climbing over to the window of her hut. Furtively, her head popped out of the window after recognising my voice and looked down to see me. I smiled widely waving at her and quickly ran to the ladder and climbed towards her without wasting any time at all. "Zoro!" She called happily. I hook one arm over her window and she touched my face with both hands. "It's late, you should go back." "Yeah I know I just want to see you before this day's over. Her modulating smile intoxicated me as she stuck her right palm on my cheek and with her thumb caressing my skin soothingly. "My Zoro." I moved my mouth to one of her palms and nuzzled it. Slowly, I pulled back and jumped down but still looking up to 'my' woman, or something close to it. Tashigi had her elbows on the frame of the window also ogling down at me. "Well, see you in the morrow, young knight." She shooed me away with the back of her hand and chuckled. "And don't sleep under the roots or you'll get a beating from me tomorrow!"

I walked backwards nodding after her. "Yeah. Good night, my wife." Then I whirled and ran away. The last thing I saw of her was her surprised happy face. Didn't think she had that coming.

* * *

**Coming up…**

I gathered my guts to pop in the question I always wanted to emerge. "Tash," I started touching a thick moss over a branch. "Yeah?" "How... how was your relationship with your ex-boyfriend before?" Tashigi's pace slowly came to halt and when she didn't reply, I started to think that maybe I asked too soon.  
"Never mind. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought that up." "No." She turned back to me smiling tightly then dropped her gaze to my chest and stomach. "It's alright. I'm glad you asked. I think you should know."

"I can turn you into a full woman." I whispered through her ears and she gasped. I moved down to kiss her ear and throat. She moaned. I leaned my forehead on hers. "Would you want me to?"


	19. But not today

**Author's note; **I just want to say... ahh! The climax is here!!... or next. Is all.

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**Chapter 19; "But not today"**

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Tomorrow was the mating ritual and now everybody was getting ready for it. Everyone were putting on decorations such as hanging those purple and sky blue bell flowers over the vine bridges and to the branches. They had so many bright feathers tied around every props that were standing, on the torches, poles, everywhere. I wonder how many birds they killed for that. They readied their different sizes and types of musical instruments parked at the sides. Everyone was happy I could feel the atmosphere very light and comforting. Most of the younger people were flirting with each other a group of males at one side while a group of females at the other. Some women looked and giggled towards me giving me the wrong ideas. I saw Ki'teh for the first time in almost three days and he was still grimacing at me as always. I walked around seeing what the others were up to. Older women were making flimsy bright coloured tribal clothing for both young men and women. Most had large flowers pinned on them with vines and smaller fluffy feathers.

Everywhere you looked was full of colour. It was almost impossible to think that everyone woke up early just to set this all up and it was almost finished. I met up with Ruby and Tashigi and not later, Hek'oe came to us, jumpy. "Ah, my favourite sea people!" He clapped his hands and individually handed us medium sized woven sacks. He told us to hunt for mountain vegetables, some herbs and if we would come across yellow and purple flowers if we should pick some out too but be careful not to endanger them. We were glad to be of service and that we could do anything besides sitting around watching. Ruby separated with us not only because he needed to collect those pods but also because I glared at him and he got the gist. Tashigi and I were, finally to my great joy and happiness, alone again. "What should we do?" I winked at her. "We look for those flowers and herbs!" She suddenly lifted the sack between us. I pulled a face.

She started to scurry skipping away from me humming. We both came into place where there were hanging pink flowers from the tree branches. They were like pink flower curtains or even ropes with frills. Tashigi started to skip while reaching out her hands to gently caress them with her fingertips. I wanted to say something but I found myself lost with words and over dramatically shy. We gathered the purple flowers first and I listened to her talking to the nearby plants. Tashigi stood up. "Let's go search for different species of purple flowers." She smiled down at me wiping of sweat from her temple. We started walking again, bending over the large plants and jumping over the extensive large roots. I gathered my guts to pop in the question I always wanted to emerge. "Tash," I started touching a thick moss over a branch. "Yeah?" "How... how was your relationship with your ex-boyfriend before?" "..." "I mean, did you love him so much?" I swallowed hard and pretended to search for more purple flowers. Tashigi's pace slowly came to halt and when she didn't reply, I started to think that maybe I asked too soon. "Never mind. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought that up." "No." She turned back to me smiling tightly then dropped her gaze to my chest and stomach. "It's alright. I'm glad you asked. I think you should know."

At first she was quiet while examining a plant on her palm and letting it go to hit the air again. "My ex-boyfriend and I broke up... about seven months ago." She cleared her throat and crouched down under a long leafed plant, I copied. "Did he hurt you?" I almost stumbled over a bunch of vines. "Did he commit a mistake?" I glared at my barefoot. "No, I did. I was the idiot. I kept... lying to him." She answered. My head popped up and searched her back. "Did you cheat on him?" "No! God no!" She smiled looking back to me. "I loved him... so much." Now that pained me. "When he knew the 'truth' he left me." Tashigi continued again. Her voice deep. "I thought it was just fair and right. I deserved it." Silence was falling down. Some monkeys started howling and a flock of large birds squawking over head. I was so full of questions I didn't know which to ask first. I was afraid too, she might think I'm asking too much questions. I took a deep breath. "Did you love him more than me?" I licked my lips and hitched the sack higher over my shoulder. "Well, that's a hard question." We both bent down to pluck off newly found purple flowers. "I loved you both equally." I frowned at her but she kept smiling. "Maybe I love you more." She touched my cheek and tapped it. I couldn't reciprocate her smile. Instead I frowned darkly and licked my teeth and sat on a dead log. "Can I be honest with you?" I asked and she nodded. "That hurts." "Huh?!" "The way you loved us equally and the way you said you 'maybe' love me more." I pulled a flower harshly it snapped off its stem and toss it in to the sack.

I stood up and started walking angrily, kicking over some dead fallen branches. Tashigi ran after me, her foot steps crashing on the dead dried leaves. "I want to kill that guy. Asshole!" I snorted. Tashigi only laughed after me. "No, Zoro. You should not." "Oh so what? You're defending him now?" I turned to my side to look at her. She grinned, showing her teeth and kissed my bicep and ran her palms up and down my arm. "If you only know." She sighed and I raised my eyebrows. "Know what?" "Time will come and solve everything." I rolled my eyes. "Jeez, lady, you're speaking in riddles again." We arrived in the mountain vegetable farm only to be taken aback by its bright almost sun-like glow. There was a huge ocean of bright yellow flowers that seemed to have absorbed the sun's light and reflected the light back to its source. I bent down and started picking them one by one and dropping them to the mouth of the sack. "Oh my God." Tashigi gasped. "So much alike." She continued. I looked back and frowned. "Hm?" Tashigi opened a ration around her waist and took out her dried dead yellow vegetable flower. Something about it took my attention, I don't know. I couldn't really put my finger on it. I know I've seen that dehydrated flat flower before but, it seemed like I've seen that before… not here but, somewhere._ And with that short realization I had a vision of children running around. But they were not the children of the tribe, they were different. And then… there was her, Tashigi, standing in front of me smirking, behind her a whole ocean of bright yellow flowers, so much alike to what I have here._ That's where it stopped. I blinked dumbly and shook my head. "What's wrong?" Tashigi came beside me, so much the same as in my vision.

"I saw you." I started. "What?" "In my visions... or..." She stepped back looking scared and I took the time to think about it. "No," I shook my head. "Maybe that was just a dream. I don't know. I can't tell." "What did you saw?" A hand dropped on my shoulder. "So much like this." I pointed all around me. I stared at her. She looked around and her eyes looked so troubled, she was breathing through her mouth. Tashigi shook her head. "No, that was a dream..." Then she started to walk and picked the vegetables and flowers. Through our way back to the village, we were both quiet after I told her about what I saw. Tashigi kept on clenching and relaxing her grip on my hand. We delivered what we got to Hek'oe and in return, he told us where Ruby was. We came and join him and watched the young warriors battle out each other by the river bank. We laughed at funny events and gasp when some skins were peeled off. Tashigi showed some life beside me, she seemed to have forgotten about what I had told her. I noticed how much every time I tell her about my visions and flashes she becomes a different person, like the same before when we first met. Some kids came and gave us large damped fruits on a flat basket. "Hnguti nolo." They bowed at Tashigi and touched her chest and ran along smiling at each other, probably glad that they had the chance of meeting the 'brave warrior'.

Tashigi and I separated ourselves from the busyness of everything around us. We wanted to be alone, to be private. We were at the rocky river bank again and she started to change the bandage of my wound again. She was happy to see that my wound was improving. It was getting smaller and less painful to look at. It was healing. After she was done with the wrapping of the new clean bandage, she kissed my wound and I touched her cheek softly. She smiled at me until her eyes rested on the long scar on my chest. She trailed a finger down to it giving me a crooked smile. "You must have bled so much." Tashigi mumbled. "Yeah." She looked at me with such worry. "If I was there, I would not hesitate and kill Taka no Mi." Her fierce look took over again and I laughed. "What if Smokey sees you right now? What would he say?" I asked. "He'll kill me! Get me fired! Gosh. Just thing about everything he can do!" She laughed back and started to think again. "Yeah, especially having a relationship with one of the most hunted pirates." I reached out to caress her cheeks again. "Damn. I never took you as someone who'd go for bad boys." I winked and stretched forward to kiss her neck. "Eeek! Don't!" She squealed and pushed me away playfully. I pulled back pouting and made a face at her. "Jeez, you're like a little girl! I'm sure you've-" I paused when the images I made up yesterday after talking to Ruby played in my head. I blushed and sucked in my lips. "Tash," I started and moved closer to her and whispered against her hair. "Are you still a virgin?"

It was all quiet at first until she said, "No, no! The curtain has been closed!" "What?!" "I am taking no more questions." She shook her head while folding her arms. "Ah, damn." I covered my mouth and stared at her. "You really are not a virgin anymore." She squeezed both my cheeks and pulled my skin. "That is rude, Melon!" She scolded and blushed. We laughed feeling childish and ignorant and yet she still looks at me as if in a daze again. "Mmm, I feel so selfish. So many women would kill just to have them doing these things with you." "Really?" I lifted my eyebrows. "Women like who?" I bit my lower lip and wiggled my eyebrows. "Like Ruby." Tashigi covered her mouth and started to laugh hysterically. I made a face. "That's not funny." "No, no!" She tried to control her laugh and look at me deep in the eyes again holding my biceps. "I am also... very jealous of your nakama." Her eyes lingered over my lips. "Everyone who can spend almost all of their life being near you is one of the luckiest people I think. You know." She sat back beside me and we both looked up to the sky. "I would kill just to be in that position. Just to have you near me, always." She reached up to kiss my temple. I looked at her from the side and move back slightly. "Wow. Aren't we deep today?" "Of course." She nodded and giggled. I held her hands and tightly clenched it. "Let's talk about something else." "Oh so you love to talk now!" "Yeah." I nodded. "That's good." She copied. "I just, you know, what to get to know more about you." "Uhu." "Just to know who I'm dealing with here."

Tashigi frowned at me. "Excuse me?" "Let's start!" I clapped my hands. "Did you had friends outside of the marines?" "Uh, yeah?" She made it sound like I was an idiot and that what I asked was an ignorant question. "So you do have a life?" "That is rude!" With a bony finger she jabbed my side again. "Okay, easy! I thought your life only revolved around the marines and Smoker." I pointed up an index finger. "Just one more question!" "Go ahead." Tashigi challenged. "Did you have a crush on Smoker?" She twisted her lower lip and started to wrinkle her forehead to think deeply at the question. "No. But I know I love him as a protective but harsh big brother. Hina-san is like my big sister." She started picking pebbles and tossing them to the water. "I don't know. I think there's something going on between them though." Tashigi shrugged. It was time for me to be asked as she poked my chest. "You, tell me about yourself, you big cabbage head." I challenged. "Go ahead. Hit me." "Have you ever been attracted to any female before?" Tashigi asked in a deep voice. I thought about it. Kuina came in my mind first. Yes I was attracted at her, but because of her skills. I don't remember being too attracted to any woman because of their looks. "Hmm." I kept thinking. "Were you attracted to your red haired navigator?" Slowly, her voice turned back to normal, more sincere now. "Or to Nico Robin?" I scratched my neck and leaned back on the rock behind me. "Mm, yeah. I guess. I mean, okay, so both are really beautiful and sexy and whatever. Heck! They can get any man they want!"

From my peripheral vision, Tashigi dropped her head and when she spoke, I wasn't sure what she said. "Are you... one of those men?" "Aw c'mon. I said they're family for god sakes-" "Uh-oh." She interrupted and shuddered under me. "What?" Tashigi briskly scattered to get to her feet I had to help her up. "I promised to the women that I will take a bath with them!" She hurried. "Wait, what?" I wasn't sure whether I heard right. "I mean, I promised to help out to get the young women refresh for tomorrow. Crap! This is going to go to my record! I'm late." We jogged back to the village and I helped her out gather all the fruit peels and sweet scented leaves from the large hut. She took off Hek'oe's necklace from around her neck and also the bracelet he gave her. We walked to the other side of the river over a large root and some women were going into the covered woman's bath. The door was a large banana leaf and could be easily destroyed. Tashigi pushed the leaf to the side but when she looked back to still see me standing behind her, she closed it and pushed me back. "No, Zoro. Go back." She grinned lifting her eyebrows. "You can't- you shouldn't be here!" Tashigi started to chuckle. "I-I know I just..." I stammered. I gave up, nodded and stepped back to the long large root. "Get busy rubbing each other's skin!" I winked at her and she puffed her cheeks after getting the message. "Don't get hypnotized, okay?" I wiggled my eyebrows to the two voluptuous young women who just entered the bath. "You're a woman, Blue. Make sure you don't come out a bisexual." Tashigi threw a fruit at me that I easily dodged and I ran away laughing.

When Tashigi came out of the bath together with other damp haired women, she was looking at the ground, her face untraceable. I came to greet her and not even five feet away, the smell of fruit and flower dispersed around the air. Some women laughed after her. "You had fun." I pointed out and squeezed one of her earlobe. "I'm annoyed." She said monosyllabically then she stepped back looking serious at me. "Do I really look like a man to you?" "What?" I answered, unsure of where this came from. "No, seriously, do I?" Tashigi asked again, serious but blushing. "Wh-what's up, Tash?" I opened my arms and smiled unsurely. She turned around and started walking. "They said I look better off as a man." She cried and stomped her feet, dirt already climbing up to her ankles. "They flirted with me!" Tashigi twisted back to me and slammed the basket to my chest. I hurried to take it off her hands then she threw her arms us angrily. "That was embarrassing!" Her face turned red again. After days of seeing a different Tashigi, the old clumsy, shy one came back again and I was glad. I liked it and found it funny and well... cute. I placed the basket on a protruding waist high rock and made Tashigi turn to me. I took her hands and kissed them individually.

"I can turn you into a full woman." I whispered through her ears and she gasped. I moved down to kiss her ear and throat. She moaned. I leaned my forehead on hers. "Would you want me to?"

* * *

**Coming up...**

With a swing of the snout, it came crashing against my body and it sent me flying off to the air and I fell on the knee high water. My head rocked and my headache worsened... everything I had always aspired to know came flooding back to me. At first I thought I was dreaming, but you don't really dream the way you do in your sleep when you're awake do you? They all came flashing after my eyes, one by one; my lost memories.

I jogged after her. How dare she fucking turn her back on me? I became an idiot, an asshole and everything you can think of to ruin a man's pride just for this. I swallowed all my pride for this shit! When I caught up closer to her, her pace decreased and she hugged herself. "Roronoa… some things are better forgotten. You should not fish for anymore answers. What you don't know will surely disgust you…"


	20. Not now

**Author's note;** My favourite chapter...

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**Chapter 20;** "Not now"

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The first images that flooded my eyesight were a bunch of hanging pink and purple flowers that connected from the mangrove where my hut was situated under to the other tree beside it. I walked following the string with my eyes until I witnessed more of them forming a complicated web of strings of other hanging beautiful vegetations. They all connected with each other and my eyes went everywhere following each string and studying all the different flower species overhead and their colours. Two little girls bumped against me from the side. I shot a surprised look at them and as soon as I lay my eyes on them, they had feathers on their pretty heads and their tribal clothing were... well, not tribal looking at all. They could be mistaken as fairies with those large wing-like petal skirts and purple thin leaf covering their flat chests. They stared up at me and giggled before continuing to their destination.

My eyes followed them and that's when I turned around from a tree, I saw a different face of the village. Everything was so different from what we first saw when we came in. Everything was almost glowing. A complicated of web-like strings with flowers and pods were up over head, connecting the tree branches with each other. The village was livelier than usual. There were so many people I wasn't even sure if there were this many before. I walked through them, most of them frowning and looking at me. I was the only one so different from them. Their clothes were so prestigious, all so brightly coloured, it so fitted in for the festival. Smokes were coming out from one corner to another, I looked to where a smoke was ascending from. Some men were roasting an animal unknown to me, other was cooking on a large pot and a flat heated up stone. Something told me that this were all the different tribes gathered together for this one important festivity. I grinned, it was good to be different once in awhile.

While I was walking and looking around making sure I wouldn't miss anything I haven't seen at all, a bunch of woman pulled me and brought me in one of their public changing rooms those ones without any roof but only woven curvy walls. They continued giggling while looking at some newly made tribal skirt hanging from a thin wood. Quickly, they pulled one and spun around to me. Three women started pulling off the skirt around my waist. "Yo, hey!" I growled and clawed on the waist line of the skirt to keep them from pulling it off. "Hey, lady, let go!" I hissed, panicking now. They snarled at me and pulled the skirt stronger until it ripped showing off half of my butt. I lifted one of my legs to cover what was revealed. They started to laugh and talked to me in their language which was stupid. So they used sign languages instead pointing at the new skirt then pointing at me. I captured the gist; they wanted to dress me up. I wanted to decline the offer but what the hell? They've already ripped off my old skirt. I grabbed the skirt from them and ran away as fast as I could, running around butt naked.

I stopped behind a large banana-like bush and changed there. Damn! I loved my old skirt. I was getting used it and now I had to get used to this new one. It was hard and itchy I had to scratch my butt every time it scrubbed roughly against my skin. I emerged from my hiding place and started searching for Ruby or Tashigi, pushing off from the crowd of people. I continued my search again until my patience was rewarded. Both Ruby and Tashigi were helping some people with the further decorations, lifting a totem with an animal skull on top of it, planting it on the ground. Some children just beside the flowing stream were practicing on their wind instruments while others drummed. The leaders were all around too but separated now, the newly arrived people coming in from the, now, opened gate greeting them. I felt the happiness and excitement in the air and I couldn't help but smile. "Zoroh!" Just as I stepped forward, a deep booming familiar voice growled from beside me. I turned my head to see Ki'teh glaring at me while walking with his fists balled. He was no different at all. I stood my ground and waited for him to reach me. "You come with us later. We need hunt for Stooram. You need to come. My father says." He walked away rudely before even finishing his sentence. Something about him was quite different. He looked disturbed and busy. Screw him.

Before I took my journey towards Ruby and Tashigi, my attention was caught again by some older women giving away flower bracelets to young men, only to young men. I went towards them but looking at where Ruby and Tashigi were still. There were different shapes and colours, I was searching not knowing why, I guess I was just curious to everything going about me. "May I ask, what is this for?" I asked, lifting a bright blue flower bracelet. One woman smiled at me and made my fingers coil around it. "For man giving to woman at night when large circle is high and when 'pew! pew!' in the sky." "You mean the firework plants?" I asked and she nodded. She clenched my hand covering the flower. "You give this to woman you want." I frowned and looked at delicate flower and nodded. "Thank you." My heart started to drum in my chest, I suddenly got so excited. I wanted to give this to Tashigi as soon as possible. I was pumped up!

Ruby was hopping on the ground and… holy shit. What the hell is he wearing? For the record, he was the only person with the most flowers and the brightest attire. He had flowers and feathers stabbed all around his head, it looked like they grew on him. He also covered his chest with frills and made a sash across his body and had the brighter, puffier, more detailed skirt I have ever witnessed. "Oh, Zo-chan! They love me!" He squealed jumping towards me. I looked over his head to see Tashigi smiling while looking up to the totem then she dropped her head and turned to me. "Yeah, yeah." I covered Ruby's face and pushed him aside. "Don't you have better things to do?" I made a look at him and he exchanged it by rolling his eyes. "Fine!" He snorted and turned. "I'm gonna' make myself look prettier!" Little girls ran after him calling his name. I stared at my price while she looked up to the totem again. "Isn't it sweet? Young warriors are asking the beautiful ladies to be with them." She snorted after rolling her eyes from me. "Unlike some other people." She bent down and tied a green vine around the stand of the totem. "You never even asked me to be your… pssh! I dunno... 'girlfriend'..." Her voice was huskier, a lot quieter when she mumbled, "Or something like that..."

"Wh-… but I!" I stammered, bending down beside her. "What are you-? Hey I did a lot of things for you!" I cried. Tashigi stood up holding a roll of thick vines, walked around a boulder and, hid herself behind the rock. "I-I became nice to you, I asked you to be my friend, I brought you to all those different beautiful places," I continued and my voice started to tremble no matter how I held it, it was still cracking. "I made you smile and laugh." Tashigi pushed her head sideways from behind the rock to look at me,her eyebrows lifting. "I told you almost everything about my life, about my crew- which I never should have 'cuz yer a marine. I stayed up one night guarding for you, I saved you from monkey-frog…!" I toss my hand to the air. "And… and I…" My words were breaking. There was something I wanted to say but it would turn out too corny and lame. She lowered her head, the skin between her eyebrows wrinkling. I sighed in defeat and rubbed my face. "I gave... you my first kiss." "And you call that courting?" She stepped away from the standing boulder and came to stand in front of me. "Well… then, how does a man do it… properly?" I asked and I hated the way I sounded like a little boy. Her lips widened and her white teeth showed.

Tashigi moved the vine to her other hands and touched my elbow and laughed at me. "Zoro, mm…" She hummed caressing her thumb against the curly skin of my elbow. "I'm only kidding." She moved on to tightening the strap of my woven bag. "You've done enough, more than enough. You don't need to do anything at all." She laid her palm on my left chest. "I'm only kidding, alright?" I dropped my eyes to the ground and looked at the difference between her pale thin feet and my opposite ones. "I'm sorry." I murmured. Even so I should have maybe done it, ask her out. But- that's too lame. Who would do that? That's too gay. "I said don't apologize!" She growled at me and pulled the strap of my bag so I came down lower to her. "I already told you, you Melon! You are a man of action and not words. That you should know by now." "You're right." I nodded. She looked up to the web of hanging bell flowers just under the long vine bridges. Tashigi grinned widely and pulled both my hands and brought me back to where she was standing, behind the standing tall rock. "Look at what I did." She caressed three fingers on the surface. Just under her fingers were carved letters saying, 'Tashig' and 'Zoro', and a heart between our names. I quickly pushed her temple with my mouth and pulled away as fast as possible. Tashigi jumped at my wake and turned blushing, a coy smile playing along her lips.

Hiding from the crowd, I pulled her by the waist so her back hit my chest and behind her head, I whispered. "Nothing can break me from you." I nuzzled her head. "Nothing." I repeated. After that, I was disappointed again. She was no longer in sight once some men disturbed me from her, they were talking to me about lifting a heavy weight and that if I could come and help them. When I turned to Tashigi, she was gone among the crowds. So I let the men bring me to where I was about to do some tribal duties again. They had problems lifting a large woven roof to cover half of the open space. With just a strain on both of my arms, the roof was already hovering over us I didn't even needed their help. They marvelled after me but I ignored and looked around, searching. I wanted to spend some time with the marine before the hunt this afternoon so I kept searching hopelessly even though some people intermittently pulled me from the crowd asking for my help, never ending. Neither could I find the okama, but then again maybe I was going around in circles. In my head I implored for just a small chance of talking to her, it seemed four hours have gone by.

My heart was beating faster in my chest and my hands started to shake. Sure I didn't have breakfast and, now, lunch but I was not hungry. Why do I feel so… nervous? Maybe it's just the crowd choking me. Yeah, maybe I need some air. I just had this ominous feeling by me I can't really put my finger on. I started to walk backwards while looking up, engrossed at the large woven roof I just came to lift. While I was doing so, someone pushed me from the back. I turned around in an alarm and there he was, Ki'teh looked at me in wonder and frowned as if in pain. Maybe tree frog was the bad feeling, jeez. "We go." He shook his head to the right and started to take long steps. I strode after him, still looking around hopefully but it was useless now, I'd never be able to spend some alone time with her. Ki'teh brought me to his gang of tough looking painted hunters which, aside from the colourful people in the festival, they stayed dull and black. Fifteen men hunting for only one animal, how big and fierce can this 'stooram' be?

We travelled far, leaving the village and climbing over the thick wall-rock that protected it. We followed a certain stream which grew wider and larger every time we went farther. Even so I knew my mind should be floating away, my heart still kept its rising beat and my hands were still shaking. I swallowed hard trying to take in deep breaths, but it was not worth it. Maybe… something was wrong… with Tashigi. No, it couldn't be, she's safe around the walls of the village. Maybe this was an ambush to kill me. As if. Would these men think they can kill me? Putting that aside, I should get my head in the game and get my swords ready. Agh, I being paranoid. We came across a shallow lake and in the lake were bathing large elephant-like gigantic beasts. But they weren't as big as elephants, they were bigger, wider and thicker. They were like a mixture of an elephant and a rhinoceros. There were units of them, some calves just by the foot of the adults. Compared to them, I was like a small ball, one foot could crush me.

The hunters started slithering under the thick long reeds growing by the waters of the lake. I copied them and we crawled towards the giant beasts slowly, not wanting to cause obvious ripples on the water. When the animals started to walk, the ground started to tremble as if a minor earthquake took place. Some hunters were giving each other sign languages. I stared at them, trying to catch what they were saying. I looked around only to see one particular beast separated from the herd. The hunters dispersed furtively encircling the lone animal. Beside me, a hunter was reciting the hunting phrase I seemed to have shamelessly forgotten. I heard quiet eerie whispers and only then did I realize I was the only one not saying the ritual phrase. We encircled the beast completely and one large undulating ripple caused the animal to lift its head from the water and look around. He followed the ripple and then he started to panic, howling up to the sky and slamming its foot on the water. This warned the other animals, replying to the alarm and howled too. They all panicked, scattering away howling and bumping into each other.

All the hunters rose and yelled their battle cries and attacked the giant beast. The plan worked, we did surround the animal but we were stuck. Even though we outnumbered it, it still seemed to have the advantage. The stooram was clearly enraged lifting up its front legs to the air and furtively slamming them to the ground, the cause of a strong unnatural earthquake. We wobbled and lost our footing, most of us fell on the water including me. I gathered my composure and looked up to the beast as the hunters toss their sharp black bamboos towards it only to make the front shatter to pieces as it collided with the animal's skin. They stabbed it with their metallic staffs but like the bamboo, they bounced right off it and shattered. The beast cried after the disappearing herd and kept bouncing its front legs on the water making it hard for me to stand up not to mention it gave me a headache. I was so pissed off I had to unsheathe two swords. The animal was hoping around and suddenly, without me realizing and even dreaming about it, the stooram turned back, facing me. It was glaring at me, eyes bloodshot and charged. I charged back with my two swords beside me. When I collided with it, I sliced it with Shuusui but it seemed I underestimated its thick armour.

With a swing of the snout, it came crashing against my body and it sent me flying off to the air and I fell on the knee high water. My head rocked and my headache worsened, the light of the sun blinded me making it worse. I felt nauseated and I wobbled until I fell on my butt. I clenched my hand around the hilts of my swords and as I forced myself to stand up, everything I had always aspired to know came flooding back to me. At first I thought I was dreaming, but you don't really dream the way you do in your sleep when you're awake do you? They all came flashing after my eyes, one by one; my lost memories.

I was running towards a dark forest, someone was chasing after me causing me to run cowardly away. I hit my head really strong and the next, I woke up in an unknown house. Tashigi. She was staring at me as if in pain, clenching on the end of her knee high pedal shorts. "You are my husband." After her face flashed in my mind, they did not stop. I saw her image all the time flashing. I saw her so many times she seemed to have hoarded my memory. I felt her hugging me, kissing me and loving me so tenderly. I remembered the first night I spent with her and I remember myself so engrossed with her love, so blanketed by strong emotions. And there was the ring, introduced before me. It was our silver ring not somebody else's but ours. I remembered all my happy moments with her, with the people of the village in that island. Sanji and Luffy's face when they found me. I remembered their perplexed faces especially Sanji's angry look when I ran away from them, afraid. Everything came pouring down on me it was almost drowning me. It stopped up until I hit my head again on a rock… Tashigi crying behind me... "Stay…"

It came out too fast without any sense and respect that it didn't even gave me a few minutes of much needed realization. They just flashed... I woke up from that, opening my eyes, the nausea retreats and my headache declining. Now I know why she was crying behind me. Now I know the story behind the ring. Now I know why she acts the way she does all the time. When I closed my eyes for the second time, her crying face flashed back again during that night we made love, the same face flashed again after I parted with her. I forced my eyes to open trying to retreat from those… nightmares. I couldn't believe what I just remembered. I couldn't bring myself to accept all those. I did not know which emotion I truly had; joy, sadness… anger. I was too confused, every thing was just so confusing, no, I didn't know what I felt anymore. Suddenly, I was numb, almost forgetting the whole reason about being here. "Zoroh!" All the others fell on me again. Ki'teh was glaring at me, spitting while he snarled my name. He and the others were falling back, the mad beast rampaging on them. For once, I had the same emotion with the beast ; anguish. It was time to end it… "What are you doing?" Ki'teh yelled at me again with this his strong tribal accent.

I had had enough of the noises drumming in my head. I was too disturbed, my memories were still flashing to me, feeding me with every detail it missed and here in the real world people were still annoying me. Too much was going on I know I might explode any minute now. I clenched my swords tighter and I bolted up from the water. I rushed towards the maddening beast and unleashed; "Ushi Bari!" I found myself staggering just behind the beast. The ground shuddered as I sheathed my sword and by the time I turned back, the beast fell on the ground, dead. Finally, what I always wanted happened, silence fell in the air but slowly, the hunters whispered to each other and started cheering me. As usual I ignored them, staring at the shaking water instead. I wanted to go back to the village and reminisce about everything else but… I did not know how to confront Tashigi. My emotions were still battling for which ever should take over me. But I knew I felt lonely, very disturbed, but mostly, I felt very much betrayed…

I kept shaking, I was so irritated a groan escapes from my mouth all the time. I was so mad I thought that if I might never control myself… I would cry in frustration, just like how I always do even before. I watched how my hands clenched my bended knees turning the skin under it red. My whole body was shaking with anger but then… I was never really sure if I was mad or just… sad or disappointed. I wanted to lie that I was not disappointed because I never wanted to be like that all my life, but it was hard the way I had to cover that up even though that's what I really am feeling. But no, I was betrayed and every time I thought about it, my anger smothers me and screams that this is what I truly feel and just like that, my soul responds and agrees. Shit. I can't even put into words how I truly felt. All I wanted for now was to confront Tashigi, the sole reason for this confusion growing inside of me.

I lifted my head thinking again. So those were all that I did in that island… I was with Tashigi all along. I was in the same position as to what I was before, being stuck together with her again. I fell in love with her only because of her lies. She lied to me. Tashigi lied to me. There was no 'ex-boyfriend' I was the ex-boyfriend. That's why she could not tell me, that's why in the beginning when we met again she could not look at me at all or freeze and not breath every time I was around, it seemed it was not just because I was an enemy. No wonder everything I did with her seemed to fit perfectly with every other feelings I knew I have felt before, she completed it. I always knew something about those every touch, every hug, every kiss… something about them were all too familiar. I knew somehow, as if… I was still connected to her. The ring. My mind clicked and I came to bring my left hand higher to see the silver ring around the fourth finger. I shook my head and my face crumpled with disgust. Liar. She gave this to me just to make me believe that we really were together, to keep me from questioning her! I took it off and crushed it with my right hand. I began to shake in anticipation again that whoever would come to me might get hit in the face. That woman! She kept me away from my nakama! She made me feel like a total asshole! "Fuck…" I whimpered, sounding like I was about to cry. My rage took full flight I knew I was turning red. Hatred grew inside me. My heart pounded outrageously and my mind reeled.

I began to feel hatred towards Tashigi…

I was so fucking pissed off of her and to myself for believing in her lies. I fell in love with her again… I fell to her lies again! I took out the bright blue flower I was supposed to give her. On my left hand it lay but the beautiful organism turned into an ugly melodramatic object to me, my hand clenched over it crushing it whole and dropped it on the ground leaving the saprophytes to dine on it. I knew then how to confront her and this time I will make sure she'll realize what she's done to my life.

The sky turned into shades of yellow and orange, the world moving on without me giving any shit about it. I sat on a root glaring at anyone who looked my way. Everyone who wanted to ask some help from me again scooted and ran away instead. My anger hasn't still evaporated. Maybe that was good, that way I'd be able to tell Tashigi everything perfectly. The round pods started to glow and the glowing insects floating around it. All the natives started squealing at the impending sacred festival and I remembered how this morning I had the exact feeling, I was even looking forward to this event. But now, with just a slight spur of the moment, everything about me has changed again. I shiver at the wind and looked down at myself. I never knew how fucked up I looked at this get-up. I looked like an idiot trying to fit in with the natives even though I'd never be one of them. It was like hoping for something that will never happen, hoping like a dumb asshole. What's the point anyway? It's not like I have never been treated as a dumb asshole before…

I sighed heavily and my stomach growled but I punched my fist against it just to silence it. I looked around. Yeah, I am the odd one out. I should not be here. I should be with my nakama. By now we would've had continued on our journey towards One Piece. If I was there now, I would never have find out about my memories, I would never waste any of my time here and I would never have fallen in love with Tashigi again. Maybe if I just stayed by the ship and decline the competition everything would have been alright, perfect. Remorse was not a good thing, I never intended to feel any bit of it, but I did and it's too late. Sighing again in frustration I lifted my head only to make my heart skip a beat, a blue hair walked past behind a fat man in front of me. My feet worked on their own accord and I bolted up from the root and started to follow the blue head. When the crowd thinned, there she was always wearing that signature smile of hers and suddenly, all my frustrations and anger ran dry. But it only took a three second break and then my objective was on the line again. I realized when I strode towards her, I did not felt any affection anymore, all I saw was some random woman who looked a lot like Kuina.

Her soft voices echoed in my head but I tried to shake them off when she turned and smiled widely at me, looking jumpy and enthusiastic. She was not gonna' like what I was about to reveal to her. I looked away and clenched my jaws while clamping my left hand around her thin arm and pulling her away from the crowd. "Come with me." I gagged. "Ah.. ah, Zoro." She cried quietly. Every long steps I made were so hard for her she was always ready to stumble that I had to forcibly pull her stronger to gain her balance. It was harsh but who cares now? I dragged her to quiet private place in the forest where everything was in dark shades of blue and the noise of the frogs and insects were humming. I dropped her arm and took three steps forward before turning to glare and grimace at her. Tashigi looked at me with a rather dog-like stare while rubbing her sore arm, she was holding an orange flower with her other hand. Slowly, she pulled her lips back and kept wincing at the pain on her arm and just with her imploring look, I know she was waiting for me to apologize. "What's wrong?" She almost coughed out the words. I continued burning a whole on her head and with that, she trembled before me. "I want you to tell me the truth." I breathed, my voice deep and accusing. "What- what's the matter, Zoro?" Then she forced a smile. "Are you asking me perverted questions again?" Tashigi chuckled. I shook my head at her stupidity. "The ring…" I mumbled, shifting to one leg. "Hm?" "The ring goddammit!" I snarled ominously and slammed the side of my right fist on a small young tree beside me making her jump in surprise as the trunk gave away and snapped off loud under my blow. I started to fume and twist the short hairs on my head. In fear, the woman stepped back, her face in agony. "Z-… I already… told you its from-" She struggled, her voice tremulous with every syllable.

Slowly, her eyes dropped down to my feet. It was hopeless, the idiot would never confess to me no matter what. My threats were too good for her I knew any minute now she'd rather faint than answer it. I took a deep quivering breath. "Tell me about the ring, Tashigi." There was venom in my voice. When she lifted her head, I was surprised to see her glaring at me. So that woman still had some fire within her. Dropping her hands, she whirled around and pushed the bushes off her way. "It does not concern you." Her voice was level. I jogged after her. How dare she fucking turn her back on me? I became an idiot, an asshole and everything you can think of to ruin a man's pride just for this. I swallowed all my pride for this shit! When I caught up closer to her, her pace decreased and she hugged herself. "Roronoa… some things are better forgotten. You should not fish for anymore answers. What you don't know will surely disgust you…"

I pulled back my face after that, a breath escaped from my lungs without my own personal volition. My breathing became rigid, my lungs tightened I could not breath. My head dropped, my whole body slowly steamed making myself calmer. I looked at her again and shook my head pulling back my lips. "I'm already so fucking disgusted…" I swallowed, my fists shaking beside me, ready to hit another hard object. Tashigi watched me quietly in fear. "About all the fucked up cruses you've done to my life," I narrowed my eyes and bent down closer to her. "About all the things you did to me- in that island." The inconsequential pain was ludicrously potent, just like the way I wanted it. I licked my lips leaning my head back. She watched me in horror. Without explaining myself further she had already understood, after all, this was what she had always waited for me to say. "What?" I lifted my hands lazily. "You think I still don't remember do you? About all the lies you did and said to me, every single bullshit." I grinned and chuckled in agony. "Fuck." I continued to chuckle and rubbed my chin. "All those lies and empty threats." My tongue licked my upper row of teeth. Tashigi was more afraid than ever, her eyes started to collect tears and her breathing increased while she cast her eyes down, fearing to meet mine. "I remember every single thing that happened between us in that fucking island!" I spat viciously.

Shaking her head weakly, she looked up opening her arms to me like she always did. "Z-Zoro…" She started to whimper, her lips forming a downward curve. I hissed through my teeth and glared at her viciously but pleading for myself to calm down. The festival started without us, everyone screaming their lungs out. "I can… I can explain, Zoro." She said weakly trying to focus only at me. "Explain what?" I said in a cold voice I knew very well belonged to me. "Everything. About… about why I did all those, why I chose to keep you alive." I was already shaking my head after that and didn't make anymore traces of indecision in my expression. While she rambled on, I cut in, "And you chose to make me believe that I was alone in my search for answers." I glowered at her continually rubbing my teeth against each other. "You pretended that nothing happened in that island." Silence. I waited for any great comeback or convincing answers, any explanations for that. "You betrayed my trust, Tashigi!" Pounding my fist on my chest I continued to hiss. "You made me feel like an idiot! An asshole! A fucking-" I couldn't say anymore. My mouth closed on its own and I felt the pain chocking me, clogging my throat. I was afraid. I was about to break and cry… suddenly, all I felt was pain in my chest and stomach. It was unlike any pain I had before. It was agonizing. "Why did you do it, Tashigi?" My voice was weak now and she kept her head down. "What came in your puny brain when you hid me from your 'kind'? Why did you trick me that I was connected to you? Why did you have to lie?"

When she raised her head, a single tear fell from her eyes and the corners of her lips were pulled down, lower. "Zoro, I'm so sorry…" She sobbed and tried to hold my arm. "Don't! Touch me!" I stepped back shoving off from her touch. "Don't even give me that look anymore! Don't try to make me fall into those eyes again!" I walked back and forth while glaring at her. I stopped and turned around pulling my short hair until I turned and faced her again, placing my hands akimbo. "You know what? I can't even look at you right now. You disgust me. I can't… even believe that I fell in love with someone like you!" My words stabbed through her with my double edged words. Tashigi looked so hurt, she looked so pathetic, sobbing loudly, her body rocking back and forth. "All along you were the cause of these! You were the cause of my paranoia of every single damn thing! When I turned to ask you, you decided to lie again and pretend you know nothing!" I took a deep breath for a second and continued to let out all the hatred again. "You took me as a fool and made me believe to all those fake stories about you with another man. Because of what you did, you have endangered the lives of my nakama!" I yelled loudly at her lolling head.

She sobbed louder and gasped at every breath. Her tears never stopped streaming. "Zoro…" She implored again walking closer to me, reaching out. "I said don't touch me." I pointed at her. "You have probably planned for all these to happen! All the things you did for me; all those beautiful places you brought me into, all those jokes, and those silly smiles. You were planning to make me fall in love with you again." "No, Zoro, please!" "Quiet!" I ordered boastfully. Tashigi tried to hold my hand again but I shove them off again, disgusted. "Don't! I… I trusted you!" "Zoro, please, trust me now. Listen!" She cried. I looked down at her again and she sobbed even louder, wiping off her tears. "After we lost contact, I have been trying so hard to forget about you…" Tashigi started. I did not look at her and only shook my head in disapproval. "Listen!" The woman forcibly pulled my arm and made me look at her. "I distracted myself, I trained so much I was barely breathing. I tried to shut my mind off of you and everything that reminded me of you…" She sniffed and wiped off her face with the back of her head. "But itt was impossible. In my head you were always there. I was hallucinating about you. I was loosing my mind." I was delusional. I didn't want to believe her and I tried so hard to keep my face still but I felt myself falling into those. "Zoro, please." She begged desperately again. "And when I started to forget about you I was glad I could pick up what I've left off but… when I saw you again… everything changed." Tashigi shook her head pulling a weak unsure smile.

That was enough. "Liar…" I slapped off her hands and whimpered. Biting on my lower lip, I knew I was about to succumb into the pain. My eyes were blurring with the rising tears. "Zoro, I'm really sorry. Please, come back to me…" The woman always forced me to look at her and she begged desperately, she was almost ready to get on her knees. "This love is impossible. It cannot last long, Tashigi. It's forbidden, it's impossible. I cannot see it working out." I flicked my eyes to the darkness and while lifting my eyes I took a short glimpse of her face, her mouth widely hanging. "The Zoro you came to love is gone, he's dead… And you know what, forget about me. Forget about everything I said to you. I never really planned on loving you. I was planning to pretend and like you so I could ask you about the ring. So forget it all. Pretend nothing happened between us at all." Lifting one of my hand, I wiped my face and took the ring off my finger as if on queue. "Here, take this back. I don't want anymore memories of you." I grabbed her hand harshly and made her take the small insignificant object but her hand was too limp the ring slid and fell to the ground, nowhere in sight suddenly probably covered by the thick dead leaves and the moss. I stepped to the side, snorting. "I think you should too. We should keep going with our own personal lives, separately."

Tashigi fell on her knees and stared raking the black soil, gathering the humus and moss to one side, probing for the fallen ring. She kept whimpering. While looking down at her, I felt only pity, she looked so pathetic, like a beggar. She dug her hands deeper until the dirt reached up to her elbows. When I stepped forward planning to leave her, Tashigi got up and blocked my path. With her filthy hands, she wiped her face, her snot and the dirt mixing together tainting her face. "Zoro, I love you. Don't leave me, please!" She continued once again still not giving up. "I'll do anything just please forgive me!" She was shaking so much and her stubbornness only made matters worse. I pushed her away harshly. The weak thin woman staggered backwards and hit her back on a hard tree with a loud thump. She fell on the ground and started to cough. I did not felt any remorse at all, neither did my conscience took over me. I contended finally and turned completely away and walked. "Then leave me alone. It ends tonight." The last time I looked back to her, she was on the ground again, searching for the ring still. She was crying quite louder while coughing at the same time. It was incongruous for me to think that I was so intoxicated with everything about that woman… all the love was gone now… only disgust and anger.

And in every dream... no matter bad or good, we'll always have to wake up...

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**Coming up…**

The, what used to be, happy times I had with the blue haired marine contrasted with yesterday's festival. I remembered it being so colourful, so lively and full of life as if there was no ending to the forever bliss. And yet now, all around me was so dull, all back to normal again with mundane colours. Our intimate relationship ended as fast as it started. What's happening to me? I barely remember who I really was anymore.

Before I could answer, Ruby let go and looked around biting on his nails. "Oh my god, I'm so worried!" He continue to shudder. "What's wrong?" I asked mechanically. "Tashigi hasn't come back since last night and it's almost sundown."

The words fell apart and I had to string them back together; Tashigi was gone.


	21. Now you looked scared

**Author's note; **Oh damn! I'm so sorry for taking so loooong~ peeps! I really am. Life got in the way as usual and my summer exams are starting so that is why. Anyway, I'm... wow! Very surprised that people are actually pulling me to continue! I never thought this many people read it! Damn! So right, the update may take long again. Sorry but I promise I will finish what I've started. I promise.

By the way, I've drawn a fanart of Tashigi and the third village (village before the main one) in my deviantart. See my profile... ukey. Very crappy tho. You've been warned!

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**Chapter 21; 'Now you looked scared'**

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Forty minutes have gone by and for that whole forty minutes, I've been staring on the ceiling of my square shaped hut with still droopy eyes. I felt weak, not only was I skipping breakfast today, yesterday I didn't eat anything at all. Maybe I should just eat some of those sugar rich fruits. I pulled myself up painfully and sat for awhile, the images last night still playing in my head, hunting me. When I left the hut, everyone didn't seem to notice me they were all cleaning the remnants of last night. Their happy faces were still visible, still so alive and that was good, that way they'll never sense the complicated relationship I had now with the copy-cat liar woman. Before, I had everything to think about, I never ran out of things to think, I was always so pregnant with ideas. And yet now it seemed like whatever happened to me back in the ship was happening again.

Now I felt empty, only staring into space. The, what used to be, happy times I had with the blue haired marine contrasted with yesterday's festival. I remembered it being so colourful, so lively and full of life as if there was no ending to the forever bliss. Now, my surrounding is so dull, all back to normal again with mundane colours. I did not felt anymore of those emotions. It appears I have forgotten about them and it seemed it never really happened. Our intimate relationship ended as fast as it started. I don't know what's going to happen to me anymore...

I stopped dead on my tracks and looked around. The realization struck me again and I realized that I actually did not know what I was doing here outside. Maybe I was better off stuck imprisoned in my hut. I had no reason to leave and go around the village. The people only needed me when they need something heavy and hard to be moved, they only needed my muscle strength and I was not the type of person who went around giving smile to everyone and for the time being, I am weak. I am so weakest that maybe just a blow of wind could even knock me out. If an enemy would come attacking me, I'd definitely die. Shit. I'm sounding like Usopp.

Since I'm outside now anyway, what's a better way than try to trick myself that nothing happened at all? 'Go ahead, asshole, make more of an idiot to yourself why don't you? It's you're fault for loosing control and falling into love anyway. Well, this is what you get!' And now, I'm a grumpy old man. Aah, I should really have just stayed with my nakama, exactly what am I doing here? Like a lost idiot walking around, I didn't even felt I belonged here with the people anymore not that I really was. Damn, I was better off not knowing about my lost memories. I never came to like them a single bit at all. I missed the reckless adventures we had, I missed the crazy carousing we always had and the pirate songs we always cried. I missed the bliss my nakama and I shared together. No matter how many times I reject this feeling, I couldn't really take it off my system. I was broken hearted. Unlike yesterday, I wasn't so mad. Now I know how being 'heart broken' felt. It felt like my chest was always heavy and that I can't really breathe and every time I do, I always end up sighing. I always feel weak and it's like there's something wrong but I can't really capture what it is.

The only feeling left in me was that feeling of being betrayed and turned into an idiot little puppy who went around obeying people's will and listening to never ending lies. I remember myself crying so much during my last day together with her after I came across Sanji and Luffy. I never felt so scared before. I remembered how every afternoon I waited for the marine to come back home from 'work'. Every single day I always waited for her and if I had a tail, I would've wagged it by the time she came knocking on the door announcing that she was home, that she was back. But, at the same time, she had been honest. She was very protective over me… Bah! Stop it, Roronoa. You're falling again. Damn, I need to stop thinking about those now. I need to move on. I don't need to keep straining my mind on that and think the same shit again and again. Putting drama all aside, I need a distraction.

So lost in thought, I never came into the realization that I found myself standing by the front of her tree-hut. I shuddered and I knew better that I should walk away and try to ignore it, I didn't. Her small house looked empty, too empty with the what-seemed-to-be hollow darkness in it... but who cares now? I was not her knight anymore. She's probably woken up early doing her early morning chores or probably talking to the arrogant leaders turning herself into their little pet. If I see her now I would just ignore her and pretend she never existed. Why does she have to exist anyway? Even from the very beginning I met her she's already ruined everything and she's still doing her job even now! Always breaking me! Stupid idiot. I need to do something productive, maybe I should train. Walking towards the centre of the village, all the people that were familiar to me started popping out. There was no Ruby, no Hek'oe and no Ki'teh. A unit of warriors started running from one side of the village to the other, yelling at each other and watched me while I walked. Other natives also looked at me and whispered to each other in their odd liquid language.

What to do, what to do? It's already been noon and I was still walking around trying to get myself lost but each time I came to a turn, I was back to my original spot. Two more units of warriors came running past me, I had to pause. What are they up to? Training? Maybe I should go with them… no, that's a bad idea. They'll start asking me why I'm on my own and not without Ruby nor… Tashigi. I winced at the name. Turning into another hopeless curve, I came face to face with the huge mouth of the cavern and into the darkness inside it. I snorted and walked past it to the right and luckily, I was inside the thick forest. At first I started to climb up the large trees and jump from one branch to another while taking multiple fruits at once. I started collecting multicoloured different type of fruits and behaved myself on a gnarled old branch dinning on my 'hunt'. While looking around, I started thinking that maybe I could even search for a devil fruit and bring it back to Luffy as a souvenir. Underneath me, tall and lean giraffe like animals started stretching their scaly necks and lazily ripped leaves from the lush twigs beside me. More animals strode beneath me while I stayed up eating while observing them. It was a boring quiet day for me but hell, I liked it that way.

The next activities I started to pursue followed; I tried to climb up to the tips of the long trees and reached the nests of the large three meter tall birds. I caught one and tried to ride on it but it only dropped me back to the ground so that did not work. The next, I tired to tame a wild large dog, the same specie we used for transport. That didn't work neither, it ended up chasing me and tried to knock off the tree that I climbed on for protection with its thick large horns. So while on the ground again, I started to act like a kid jumping from one root to another and running around on them until I reached a beautiful serene meadow full of purple and pink flowers. I jogged towards it and suddenly, the entire petal came fluttering away sending a soft melancholy breeze down at me. It turned out that they were not flowers at all, they were the small insect like birds. The meadow looked ordinary now, everything in brown and green. I sat on a log, deeply dejected while looking at the ground. The only thing I needed now is a sad corny background music to add in to my loneliness. Nothing worked for me. The objective of trying to forget about last night and about the woman did not work. It only worsened everything. Every time I tried to erase her off my mind, her apparition grew stronger and when she luckily leaves my head for a few seconds, she comes back much to my dismay. So what the hell?

I left the forest and decided to go back to the village before the predators come and attack me. It took such a long time to go back that the day seemed to fly by so fast and it was afternoon already, I'd say maybe six in the afternoon, if I had a watch. I was only a hundred percent sure that I was back after seeing another unit of oppressive looking warriors running from the village to the forest. What's going on? When I entered the village, the faces of the once lively optimistic natives had tuned up-side-down. Everyone as I knew looked worried, like the whole world came crashing down on them. What was wrong? Are the floating islands finally falling to the ocean? I joked. Turning my head to the squeaky yet deep voice, Hek'oe and Ruby were talking to one another, Ki'teh frowning at the okama who was looking like he was about to cry. I stayed where I was watching them. There was no marine woman so my trembling hands began to calm. Cutting through from the crowd and just deciding to come and approach them bravely, I started to make my expression unreadable. The okama stomped his foot on the ground and sobbed while turning his head until he saw me. His eyes widened and he ran to me and before collided with my body, he grabbed my upper arms.

By that, I knew something was really wrong. "Zoro!" He cried, the use of the name surprised me. "Have you seen Tashigi?" I winced at the name again, my stomach collapsing. Before I could answer, Ruby let go and looked around biting on his nails. "Oh my god, I'm so worried!" He continued to shudder. Ki'teh spoke with Hek'oe in their language and just by the hiss of their words I knew I just had to get in this and ask. "What's wrong?" I asked mechanically. "Tashigi hasn't come back since last night and it's almost sundown." Ruby started to cry now. My eyes widened and my mind registered the words of the okama. The words fell apart and I had to string them back together; Tashigi was gone. "What?" My voice broke I had to clear my throat. "My warriors and hunters are searching. She will be okay." Hek'oe said between us. So that's what all was about. "No, God! Please don't do this. It's already so late! It's almost sunset." Ruby wiped his face covering his mouth. I didn't know how to react but my heart started to quake in my ribs. I didn't answer anymore and looked around although I didn't want to see her face pop from the crowd. Maybe she left early this morning? Maybe she went off on her own exploring? Maybe she left to train somewhere? "Her neighbours said she didn't come home last night." Ruby added. My head turned to the prestigious leaders who came to the gathering and they started talking to Hek'oe, the ordinary people gasping and muttering to each other.

"Calm down, Ruby." I tried to keep my voice normal but it only sounded like I had a sore throat. "Maybe… she's off, I don't know, training somewhere." I licked my teeth and sighed trying to calm myself too. "She's a marine. She'll survive." With that, Ruby shot a look at me. A look I couldn't completely comprehend whether it was fear or that he couldn't believe what just came out of me. He just frowned at me in perplexity.

Hours passed and the whole world was darkening, the nocturnal insects and animals already buzzing and howling. I started to get hungry but as usual I ignored it. I was situated on a tall branch by a tall mangrove tree, on watch, Hek'oe told me so. Instead of looking for the woman, I watched the retreating sun, it wasn't as beautiful as I had always described it. I watched the other floating islands and my minds started to wander towards what my nakama were doing right now. Then there was hope, hope that they could help me get out of here, I hoped that Luffy would appear and bail me out. But that would be weakness, cowardice. I brought this upon myself and I knew as hell I need to bail myself on my own. I looked down, some hunters had come back to Hek'oe reporting, no blue headed woman with them. My forehead creased again and my fingers started to shake as if I was cold.

Angrily and with pure recklessness, I jumped off from the twenty feet tall tree and landed on the balls of my feet. They looked at me in surprise and I whirled around and thought of going to the forest alone. I couldn't believe that I would come to the decision to search for her too, but she was irritating me, again. Is she suicidal? Is she trying to get herself lost? Maybe she let the gigantic predators eat her or maybe she left the village completely… Or maybe… just like me, she was just sulking. I know she was strong physically… but how about emotionally? I started cutting through the forest not knowing where I was heading into, I was blind without carrying any torch or whatever source of light. Twigs started slapping on my face and my feet always bump on some hard rock causing me to curse angrily. I tried to remember where I last saw her and moved to get there, luckily this time I found my way to it. It was dark and the light from the rising moon was my only source of dim light. I found myself on the place where we argued. The animosity in the air was still present and when I looked around, the young tree I smashed was still there, dead and broken, I stepped on the small hill she clawed and gathered to one side. I stood there, frozen and senseless. Numb.

Her broken image flashed in front of me, I started to hallucinate that she was here in front of me, kneeling, searching and crying. I could picture her perfectly, her twisted image so clear, still searching for the fallen ring. Lifting my head, in my mind I started to think where she was now and what she was doing. And suddenly, as if on cue, I heard someone walking, like an animal. The fallen dried leaves crunched as if someone was stepping hard on them, the sound of banana leaves rubbing against each other and someone pushing them away. I held on one of my sword's hilt and hid behind a nearby tree ready for the attacker. I peaked from the trunk and suddenly, there she was emerging from the dark. Her face was vague, I couldn't see it completely because of the darkness, but her physique was obvious. Her head was lolling down, her hair so messed up and she was walking fast while she walked rigidly, barely bending her knees every time she took a step. Her hands were opened like claws beside her while her arms were so straight. I watched her walking towards the lights of the village and when she continued to walk, she was walking like a cripple, bending to the right and not applying any weight to the other leg which seemed to be injured. The marine looked so fucked up.

Tashigi pushed away the thick bushes in front of her, entering the village. I stalked her quietly. And when the light of the village slowly started to spill on her, my eyes searched her. She looked so messed up. Her hands up to her elbows were all covered with red scratches and dirt, so where her legs but just like I predicted, her left leg was badly injured, a long cut was made from her upper leg, black blood streaming down from the ugly, probably, infected cut. She had her mouth opened and was breathing through it. I only had the liberties of seeing the side of her face and just with that, I knew she looked the same as the last time I saw her. Her eyelids were droopy and her eyes red and swollen. There was an obviously trail of her tears on her cheek which cleared away the dirt underneath her eyes. Her skirt was ripped and her woven bag was nowhere. Tashigi lifted a hand and wiped a portion of her face and started to snivel. She left the forest and proceeded to the village.

All I heard were the children screaming 'Hnguti nolo!" Alarming everyone which they obliged and the noises of the village rose until Ruby's loud scream topped them all. From behind a mangrove, I peeked at them. The warriors started howling at one another after seeing her. Hek'oe lifted his hands up to his chest and they calm. People started to gather around but it seemed fate wanted me to have a better view of her because from where I was, a large opening was open just for me to witness her, unmoving. Half of her face was covered by her hair. I had to move to the left to have a better view. Ruby started hugging her tightly and started asking her questions, the same ones he asked me. When they parted and when Ruby calmed down, Tashigi lifted her head slowly and made a tight smile. Ruby started to talk calmly now which I could not hear at all and in return the woman nodded while her eyes were cast down. "Are you sure?" I caught some words from the nervous okama while he looked down to her bleeding leg.

"Where have you been?" Hek'oe asked in a deep yet soothing voice. "I'm sorry…" She broke off so suddenly, her mouth dropped open almost as if something had cut off her air. "… if I made all of you worried. I apologize, I was just walking around." She blinked a couple of times and looked afraid. "I didn't mean to come back so late and to make a big issue about this. Please accept my apology…" Tashigi bowed ever so slightly. Ruby took her in his arms again and cried louder, his cries muffling against her. The woman answered him when they separated and she continued to wear her tight smile, like she was okay. She nodded and grinned while pointing her thumb to the back, Ruby's mouth opening and closing. He shook her and hugged her again, the chief beside them smiling. After that, I had the balls to step out but still watched them from afar. "Yeah. No, no. I'm okay." She chuckled. "You sure?" Ruby asked again, lifting his hand up to her shoulders.

The warriors started to scatter away, Hek'oe talking to some of them and the people walked back to their business, the little children told to go have their dinner. "Yeah," Tashigi bowed her head and scratched the back of her neck. "I actually just need to wash myself." She grinned and looked at herself. "I mean, I smell like Halloween!" Then she cracked but Ruby didn't take any of it. "Well, okay." The okama stepped back dropping his hands off from her. "Are you sure you can handle yourself?" He asked again. "I'm pretty sure, yes." "Okay, well. You really sure you're not hurt?" "…" Tashigi lowered her head and wiped her face. She looked up at the okama again and nodded, "Yeah…" with uncertainty in her voice. "So you can go and have your dinner without me. I'll be off then and take a bath." She stepped to the side and Ruby did the same stepping back. "Alright, see you later, Tash-Tash." The okama nodded one last time and started to walk towards the long table of the centre.

The woman was left alone, only with the flying insects over her and the croaking of the nearby frogs as her background music. She dropped her head and stayed like that for a few seconds then she shook her head and walked off to the direction of the women's bath.

It was all so obvious, I already caught and predicted how the night was going to end. The marine did not took her dinner and Ruby was craning his neck searching for her, his head moving from his food to the leaders' table then back again. He was shaking beside me while looking around. I didn't spat a word. I lifted my head and turned my eyes to the leaders' table too and of course, her seat was empty. My eyes were caught in Hek'oe's and he looked at me the way Ruby did before, with so much questions and perplexity. I dropped my eyes to my food. All I know was that it was not my problem anymore. For one last time, I tried to peek at the leaders' seat again. This time, Hek'oe was looking at one of the talking leader across of the table from him. That leader was not happy. He had his thick eyebrows kissing each other while shaking his head and drumming his fingers on the table. The others were nodding after him.

No, she did not come at all but I know she was still in the village. When it was time for me to call it a boring, disappointing day, I walked back to my hut walking by the rocky river. While kicking some stones, I looked around the river admiring the floating bright fireflies and to my surprise, a figure was sitting on top of a thick boulder. I almost jumped in horror. It was thin silhouette of a person with its back facing me. Slowly, one thin arm reached up to the dispersing insects and slowly, the arm came back down to hide in the owner's stomach. I made sure my steps weren't loud when I squinted and went closer. It was Tashigi, no question about it. Her back was slouched, her knees hugged against her chest and her head slowly bending to the side resting on one of her knees. It was a peaceful moment, yet sad, only sad. I noticed how her shoulders dropped.

I shook my head and continued towards my hut unimpressed by her mood swings. Oh for goodness sake, she's probably trying to make me feel sorry for her. I'm not even... It takes so much time for me to forgive someone. I blew the fire from the small lamp beside the small window of my hut and crawled in and lay on my back, lifting one hand over my forehead while the other on my stomach. I stared at the dark ceiling and listened to the natural noises. By the time I closed my eyes her image flooded my mind I had to pry my eyes open. I groaned. Even though how much I wanted to take a break from thinking about her for the whole day, she was always… there. She was bothering me again. The idiot brought it up to herself, she knew it was coming. And no matter what I do, no matter how I shuffled on my position, I just couldn't sleep. Nothing mattered at all. In my mind, I was not lying inside my hut. I was floating towards the centre of the village, towards the rocky river bank and down to that thin lonesome figure sitting on the boulder…

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**Coming up…**

**"Good-morning!"** Ruby and I both jumped from our seats when the marine suddenly came crashing down beside the okama. Tashigi grinned widely at the okama her white teeth were almost blinding.  
"You look happy. What's up?" He nibbled on the meat. "Mm- I dunno. I just... feel jumpy and energetic. Is all! Today, I really want to do something, you know. Like walk around, help more people, do some exercise! Be happy!" Tashigi became so noisy, so happy and so… different. She was almost irritating.

Now she was showing another side of her. Now she was not jumpy and energetic. Then for a second, she looked like she was about to cry, her lower lip forming a downward curve and so did her eyebrows.


	22. Like for once

**Author's note; **Well, well, ladies. I woke from the dead! It is summer vacation so yeah I so do have to keep updating, I mean I ain't got no excuse. Ah, anyway, here's a link to the promised images that are in the story _zkyrus. deviantart. com/gallery/#/d2rkzhn_ - meh, sorry if it ain't clickable and just connect the zkyrus to the funny letters at the end, doc won't allow me to connect them. Copy and paste it on the search bar. Anywayz, thanks fer the wait!

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**Chapter 22; "Like for once."**

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I proceeded towards the dinning table of the center of the village for my breakfast just after helping an old lady rebuild her antique hut. It was the very first time my hunger got the best of me that all I ever thought about was food and nothing else. For today, my main objective is to train, only to train. I sat on my usual spot waiting and watched Ruby yawning while walking towards me. Food was served and we dine in together after the natives thanked their gods for the bounty. "Mm, where's Tash-Ta-" **"Good-morning!"** Ruby and I both jumped from our seats when the marine suddenly came crashing down beside the okama. Some people looked towards us. "Je- Damn, Tash-Tash. What's up?" Ruby grinned, eyes erased from its drowsiness. Tashigi grinned widely at the okama her white teeth were almost blinding. I looked down to my food instantly. "Wow! What a humid day. Is it just me?" Her right hand started to fan her chest. "I've never seen the village so bright!" She chuckled continually.

"Hng'uti nolo!" Children twisted from their seats and waved at her. "Hello!" Tashigi waved back. "Aaw, look at them. Always so nice to me." She grinned from ear to ear. "Oho-kay?" Ruby raised an eyebrow at her and pinched a meat from his plate. "Ooh, someone had a goodnight sleep." He chuckled after her. "Hm?" "You look happy. What's up?" He nibbled on the meat. "Mm- I dunno. I just... feel jumpy and energetic. Is all! Today, I really want to do something, you know. Like walk around, help more people, do some exercise!" I peaked at her from the corners of my eyes it hurts. She clenched her hands into fists and started to jab on the empty space, pretending to box. "Alright! Full of energy I love it!" Ruby laughed. "Have you had breakfast?" "Uh-hum. I've just finished my training, running around the forest, swimming, reporting to the leaders, helping the women with the cooking- I cooked that by the way." Her thin index finger pointed at the red meat on Ruby's plate. She was suddenly so voluble, so noisy like the chatter box she always was...

"Gosh!" She touched her lower lip. "I can't believe I did all those just this morning. So much! And yet I'm still full of energy." She paused but then suddenly slapped Ruby's leg. "Ow!" "Hurry up, Ruby-san! There's still much to do! Come on!" She puffed her cheeks. "I just sat my ass, goddamit! Where's the fire, girl? Damn." The okama fought. I noticed from staring secretly at her that she did not have her sword. Instead, a machete was tied around her waist. Just like before, she only had her full attention to Ruby. They kept talking, both so full of life, always messing and laughing. Ruby looked as surprised as I am, lifting his eyebrows up to me and widening his eyes, making a face. In my opinion, it was better that way. That we should not connect. That she should just... start ignoring me and I do to her. There it is again, ah shyeet... "Oh jeez! Good morning, _Roronoa_!" I shuddered after that. My eyes opened wider and my head shot to where she was. And there was her bright joyful face, popping out from the side of Ruby's face. "I didn't saw you there! My bad." Tashigi apologized. That scared the shit out of me. I blushed and dropped my head and focused on my empty plate again, like a shy little boy.

When I didn't answer, she turned back to Ruby again, loosing me. She invited him, saying the women needed him to design frilly childish tribal clothing for the little girls. Ruby gladly took the promotion. Tashigi took the lead of their conversation since Ruby ran out of words to say and that every time she asked him, he only nodded his head. She kept making fun of him, disturbing him each time he drew food to his mouth. Ruby laughed and patted her head. "I also want to make a tribal bracelet so they told me I need seeds from this certain fruit and a bunch of old thick tree barks. But then again I won't have time to make one. This slow gravity will get me even weaker. We need to get stronger you know. We need to train." She clenched her fist and frowned at Ruby, hyped up. Ruby nodded and sighed. "Oh, hurry up, Ruby-san! You've been eating for fifteen minutes now!"

Tashigi became so noisy, so happy and so… different. She was almost irritating. Tashigi babbled about wanting to join the hunting party and squealed at the thought of being able to use bows and arrows, clapping her hands together. It was almost embarrassing to be being around her. "Home girl, chill, okay?" Ruby took her by the shoulders and looked straight into her large blue eyes. Tashigi took a deep breath and nodded. Five minutes later, she left after being called by the leaders, skipping towards them. They talked… no, they laughed. They were… happy? What did I miss? Why's everyone suddenly so happy? It seemed all the negative emotions from yesterday evaporated. So she's moved on that fast..? That woman…. I don't know. Ruby sighed in relief, looking after Tashigi. "Damn. You need to talk your girl-" "She's _not_ my girl." I bolted and picked my plate and downed my cup of juice. Ruby made a neck breaking twist to me. "What?" I dropped the wooden cup on the table and burped lightly. "She's not my _girl_, Ruby." I stared seriously at him and rolled my eyes.

After breakfast, I separated myself from both of them, from the whole tribe. I hid myself in the thick mangrove trees and collected two circular boulders and started heaving on them while lying on my back. Sooner though, a bunch of kids heard my grunts and started gathering themselves around me, watching me train with dropped jaws. Having spectators to marvel at me felt good, to be not alone even for a short moment. I trained for hours switching from doing press ups; with the rocks on my back, air press ups; with only one finger for support and swinging a thick pillar shaped rock. It must have taken me forever to finish up since the children left, or maybe they were just bored, so no one continued to cheer for me.

I took a break and went back to the village and found a group of hunters around a mossy stump. They were arm wrestling so I began to watch until they invited me to join in and so I did, just to kill the time. I always won. I battled against twenty at the beginning until it grew up to fifty-five when the crowd increased. All of them were impressed always cheering every time I slammed the back of my opponent's hand to the flat of the stump. I may have over did it because when I left half of the crowd went following me around always throwing compliments at me. Damn.

The day worked out fine for me, I succeeded on my training and did some a little bit of helping, plus, I never saw Ruby and the woman. During the afternoon, I ran out of things to do, I got bored from all the training that my muscles started to ache and my limbs shaking. I've seriously gone weaker. How disgraceful. I waited for my eyes to become droopy so I could find a spot to sleep in, but my eyes did not falter. I tried to do some exploring around the forest not too far from the village but it seemed too mundane to me already. There was nothing to do. Before, I had always something to do and the excitement never ran out... Ah no, here I am again, this is unhealthy. But no matter how I tricked myself, the emptiness was always so visible. This morning I was… contented but now, the pain came back again like a symptom of a fever.

Snap out of it! That's enough. I need to keep looking for distractions. Where are monkey-frog and his minions when you need them? I decided to hop on the boulders by the river bank and hoped that I'd get myself lost, I didn't do well. So instead, I just hopped on a rock after another, following the cerulean current. Then there were the familiar squeaky noises. I stopped, my head snapping up. I jumped off and hid behind the undergrowth and a large mossy mushroom. Ruby's voice came out after and I know as hell who he was with. I poked my head out and the picture became clear. Ruby and Tashigi were both sitting on a low bended branch of a tree and little girls surrounding them. What am I doing? I'm like a peeping tom. It was almost unnatural for me to do this, so out of character. But weren't I doing this to her before?

Their mouths were moving and I know as hell they were screaming, yet, I couldn't hear them. They started to laugh, Tashigi covering her mouth. Ruby stood up and balanced himself on the branch, dancing. Ruby started patting Tashigi's head while she slapped off his hand laughing after him. The okama jumped after a twirl and said something to them before running towards the right. The little girls followed suit, waving after the lone woman. And when they all disappeared to the bushes, the corners of her lips slowly ceased and pointed down. She looked like someone who was just looking to the side. Her shoulders fell and she looked forward. Quickly, I ducked my head lower but she dropped her head instead of looking straight forward. Tashigi was back into performing as the lonely figure again, just like last night. Now, all I could think was I hoped I had the ability to read people's mind. What is she thinking?

Now she was showing another side of her. Now she was not jumpy and energetic. She was emotionless, staring through the soil. She was like a zombie or a statue, unmoving, her chest was not even moving and it seemed she was barely breathing at all. Then for a second, she looked like she was about to cry, her lower lip forming a downward curve and so did her eyebrows. But she stopped and bit on her lip and took a deep breath while lifting her head up to the peeking light. She continued to smother it with a sigh and a shake of her head. Ruby and the little girls came back with a basket full of roasted meat and fresh fruits. My stomach grumbled. Right then, I need to pull myself off this. This is getting ridiculous.

I left and continued to survive the day by doing more productive things. I trained myself like crazy pushing aside the fact that my muscles were all strained and bile erupting from my throat. Back in the village, the men were building a new storage hut so I took part and volunteered to be the one to collect all the heavy raw materials. As always, they were all in disbelief and the news of my greatness spread like a disease, I began to acquire the trust and pride of the natives. The afternoon started with a strong almost tropical-like rain. Is this even possible? I thought we were over the clouds? I stayed out, there was no hut for me to stay in, it was better if I not get myself too close to the natives anyway, because one day I will leave, it will break their hearts and I am sure as hell I don't want the same thing happen to me… again.

I was walking in the middle of the village with the rain so strong attacking down at me like little daggers. I kept my head down not even thinking where I was going, there was no point anyway, and the rain blurred the whole village. The mud under my feet felt great though, very soft and squishy. I looked up to the gray sky while closing my eyes feeling the rain drops drum on my face. "Aaah~" It was odd, hearing my own voice again. It felt like years, I barely said anything at all today, just like yesterday. The rain came down stronger, like the sky was angry at me.

"Zoroh! Zoroh!" From the right, squeaky voices were calling for me, like little dwarves. I lowered my head and narrowed my eyes to see who it was. Not too far from where I was standing, there was a lone umbrella-like hut, without any walls at all. There were four little girls calling and waving after me, two adults behind them. I couldn't see properly at all. They kept calling. "Zo-chan!" Ruby called after me and I obeyed, running towards the dry and safe area. Inside, I started shuffling my hands on my short hair and tried to push the water off my body. "You are wet!" One girl giggled and moved away from me. "Isn't it obvious?" I groaned. "Cripes, Zo-chan. Do you think?" Ruby rolled his eyes and handed me a dry cloth. I started to wipe myself. "Yer gonna catch a cold." Okama lectured poking my bicep. "I mean you look hot… with… that dripping oh so glistening wet body-" He paused. "But…" He echoed. I stopped for awhile hanging the cloth on my neck and shoulders.

I wanted to make a sarcastic remark but then, I chocked, my words clogged on my throat. Tashigi's haunting figure was standing behind him. Her body so straight and unmoving yet again and just like this noon, she had no emotions at all. We locked eyes for a few seconds until she slowly dropped her eyes and when she looked back to me, she was wearing her signature smile again. I felt my facial muscles twitch but I held her gaze and looked hard on her until she gave in and her smile faded. She looked scared and embossed so she looked away into the wild rain. "Oh!" She squeaked and walked out of the rain without any alarm. Her barefoot was quickly covered with mud. Tashigi was drenched instantly. "Wha-! Ei yo, Tash-Tash! Come back!" Ruby called out, his jaw dropped.

The little girls called after her too, saying it was dangerous to be walking around in this weather. Tashigi ducked her head and looked back slightly but she kept waking. "I'm so sorry! But I really have to talk to the leaders! I forgot I have a meeting with them!" She screamed with the rain. Then she ran, muck exploding beside her feet and she disappeared, the rain eating her. She surprised them all, even me. We were left there wondering what was going on her head. The little girls started to chatter to one another. Ruby cried. "But she already talked to the leaders just minutes ago- Agh." He rubbed his forehead. "What's wrong with this picture?" Ruby shook his head and leaned against the pillar behind him.

So everything was really gone now, huh? All the fairytale and joy is all gone and history. All the magic was gone, we weren't even friends anymore. "Damn." I muttered under my breath and covered my face with the cloth. I know all of this was going to happen but still I was wondering whether this was right at all. My anger… was dripping down slowly like the wild rain turning to a calm melancholy drizzle. I don't know what's up anymore, I really don't…

Two days and a half passed and I still have not at all communicated with her. The days were blending in as always and the days and nights went by so fast. Where ever I went though, she was always there but then she would disappear quickly as she was 'busy', always having an excuse to get as far from me as possible. Sometimes I wonder if she was doing this on purpose or maybe I am just lucky. But other than that, she was always smiling and laughing, like… as if, nothing was wrong at all. When she was around, she never at all looked at me and like before, she acted as if I did not exist. That was… good I guess, I mean isn't that what I hoped for? Then, maybe she's really over me…

What's this? 'Why are you beating so fast?' I thought, touching the left part of my chest. It started to sore, I couldn't breath again. Each time I thought about this dejected ideas, each time I drown myself in my own despair again my stomach performs a somersault and my chest tightens. I never liked any of these…

I thought I was over her too… but who am I kidding?

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**Coming up…**

Ruby lean forwards, closer to the woman beside his feet. "Mm, Tash-Tash?" "Yeah?" Tashigi paused from her humming. "Chehe! What ever happened to your ex?"

Tashigi took a deep breath.

"He _died _seven months ago…"


	23. You don't know

**Author's note; **And so I continue... yeah, very drama all the way peeps, hmm, maybe for the upcoming chapters aswell? Meh, very boring... Oh! And a song is inserted inside btw. Holla!

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**Chapter 23; 'You don't know' **

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"Let's go, slow poke! What's wrong!"

I looked forward, the marine had her arms akimbo standing on top of a fallen trunk looking down at the okama in front of her with a mischievous grin. She shook her head and before jumping to the other side, she teased, "Crap! And to think I've been idolizing such a 'weakling'!" Tashigi jumped off to the other side and began to sing. "Wha-?" Ruby cried putting his hands in level with his chest. He made a face and raised an eyebrow at me, I did the same. "What's up with you?" He yelled to the marine then turned back to me. "What's wrong with her?" I looked away and frowned, irritated to be being stuck with them again.

We were sent on duty again, collecting black berries for the children as inks for one of their art materials. The black berries were all situated behind the mountain vegetable farm so we had to climb up to the steep slope again. I didn't remember the way so I stayed at the back tailing after the two and if I knew the way, I would leave them both behind so I can get back to my training. I stayed behind the okama and didn't go as far to the woman. I didn't want to get close to her at all, if I keep avoiding her just like from the past few days then I'll survive again. We kept walking, pushing through the thick undergrowth and kept proceeding to our destination. While I chopped my way through the forest, both idiots were arguing and messing around not caring about anything at all.

I looked around for something amazing and hell, I started searching for some berries, if there ever were some in the area, but it was unlikely. The woman started laughing loudly and the birds over head started screeching down at us before flying off. We came to a stop by a stream. All around it were pale gray pebbles and some flower growing weeds. Large flat roots acted as bridges that arched over the stream to the other side. I walked to the bank and drowned my feet to the cold clear current. I sighed and my eyes followed the bright fishes swimming against the current.

"Oh Lord!" Ruby groaned and sat on a thinner root. He started to soak his feet down to the water and began to paddle. "Ah~ yeah that's good." He grinned and leaned his head back. From the corner of my eyes, the marine crouched on the pebbles by the bank and dipped her thin ghost-like hands to the water, she smiled. "Ah, crap. I have blisters under my feet!" Ruby complained and lifted his right foot up on his lap and started massaging on it. His only audience laughed while I looked to the opposite side of the stream. He sighed again. "Maybe it would be nice to have a prince charming to carry you around everywhere…" Ruby cooed.

They were both quiet and everything became peaceful with only the natural inhabitants taking over. _Sshk! Sshk!_ The woman started paddling her right hand against the current, the water under her sent faint sparkling reflection to her chin and cheeks. I tried very hard not to turn my head to her direction lest she finds out I've been observing her actions. Tashigi kept smiling and slowly laid her chin sideways on one of her knees while she started to hum silently. "I always wonder about marriage… about how it would feel. You know, to always have that thought of your special someone always waiting home for you. It must feel really good to always go back home then…" Ruby sighed softly.

Not too far away a crimson and deep blue coloured duck-looking hen was hunting by the bank with its little chicks following behind it not paying attention to our presence. "Aw, cute." The marine mumbled. I noticed Ruby lean forwards, closer to the woman beside his feet. "Mm, Tash-Tash?" "Yeah?" Tashigi paused from her humming. I looked up to the tall black trees and up to the large pink up-side-down umbrella-like flowers hanging from its branches. "Chehe! What ever happened to your ex?" With that, the woman choked from her humming, her undulating hands stopped and my eyes froze from where it landed. But my eyebrows furrowed and slowly, I looked down from the hanging giant flowers.

"Hehe!" The okama kept chuckling. I kept unmoving on my place, a growl vibrating from my chest. "C'mon, Tash-Tash. Spill some beans! What ever happened to him?" I wanted to warn the okama to stop but before I broke, the marine straightened up from her curled position and looked straight forwards. "He-" She paused and cleared her throat. Tashigi took a deep breath.

"He _died _seven months ago…"

Her head twisted slowly to Ruby's direction and smiled tightly. At first, I could not breathe and then the coldness of the water from my feet started crawling up to my legs until I shivered. And when I started to gain some oxygen my breath was shaking until I had to swallow and then my heart raced. "Oh…" Ruby gasped loudly and covered his mouth. "Oh my- I'm so deeply sorry!" He bent closer to Tashigi. "I really am! I'm horrible for bringing that up!" Tashigi stood up and chuckled after him. "No, Tash-Tash, I'm really sorry." "Tsk! It's alright, Ruby-san. C'mon!" She slapped him on the shoulder.

My feet started moving and I walked around them and up to the arched root over the stream. My body began to tremble and my throat became so dry, my pounding chest was not helping at all. I started walking real fast and not caring if I was going to get lost or not, nothing mattered anymore it was better if I'd get lost now. My chest tightened and gladly it was not the pain, it was anger. I was angry because I could not accept the fact that I was still in so much emotional pain, because I was 'broken hearted' and the person to blame was skipping and singing around like she did not felt any remorse about it all and to her I am… dead. "Uhn!" I lifted my right hand and hit my balled fist on a large old tree. It shuddered; small green leaves slowly raining down to me and the birds on its branches flew cawing away.

By the time we reached the farm, I dropped the basket hoisted on my back and quickly pulled the dark berries so hard I almost pulled off half of the bush. I kept plucking off not even caring if they were ripe or not. I toss them all in even with their twigs and leaves still connected. I was panicking so much I didn't noticed Ruby standing beside me. I turned and gasped to see him staring at me. We stayed like that for a couple of seconds until he turned and walked off to a different bush. I stopped pulling and tried to calm myself. The berry bush before me looked dead; it was stripped off from its twigs and leaves, it looked almost sad. So I stopped and tried to calm myself further. "Stop slipping, Zoro." I whispered to myself. It was hard to believe someone so insignificant could change me so different from what I truly was.

I dragged my basket and stood beside Ruby and we shared a bush together. From the corners of my eyes I looked at him. He was quiet, not even smiling and for a second, it was as if he was someone I've never met before, like this was another side of him. Shaking my head and focusing on the black berries I continued to pluck, making sure I'd pluck the right ones this time.

When the basket was half full, I stopped and pulled off the leaves from the berries inside the basket together with the unripe ones. Ruby turned around. "I'm gonna take a leak, Zo-chan. Tash-Tash is behind those trees." He pointed then he left. I stared at the direction to where he was pointing then my eyes fell inside the basket. There was only one more leaf left to pull off from the berry and then I was done. I wondered if I should pull it off then head to the direction where the marine was or maybe just wait for Ruby so there would be no awkward moment between the woman and I, that way there was someone with us at least.

"To hell with it." I sighed. "Suck it up already." I shook my head and pulled off the leaf then hoisted the basket over my back and walked towards the direction of the woman. My chest started pounding again. When I heard her humming I stopped. A thick tree was blocking myself from going behind her so I stayed by it, hiding there. I didn't know what she was doing, all I could hear was her repetitive humming. To me, she seemed so lost in thought so I peaked secretly and there she was looking up to the canopies with her back facing me. Tashigi kept swaying until she opened her mouth and let the song emerge;

_" -so there's no sense pretending, my heart is not mending. Just when I thought I was over you and just when I thought I could stand on my own, oh baby those memories keep crashing through~ and I just can't, go on without you~ it's just no good without you~.." _

I hid myself in again while she kept singing and slowly, I found myself listening to her melodramatic song and there was definitely some connection with what she was singing and what was happening in reality. Making sure I would not make any noise, I slowly took off the basket from my back and lay it on the ground. I leaned against the tree and looked up to its black arms swaying the lush emerald leaves. "How disgraceful!" She suddenly cried to herself. "Stop it! Such a little girl!"

A smirk crept to my face when the woman started lecturing herself. She sounded so stupid, definitely like a little girl. Well, at the very least, I wasn't the only one loosing my head. Good thing there were two of us…

Before I knew it, my smile widened and I had to slap my face to stop. What the hell am I doing smiling? What the hell's up with these mood swings? Damn. I really need to pick myself up before I'm officially turned an idiot…

* * *

  
**Coming up…**

Just before the marine stepped out from the undergrowth, I threw myself behind the thick tree and started to undertake the expected routine from me. I squinted my eyes to see her face from the smothering fog then I found myself mystified. The marine's eyes were all red and swollen but under her eyes, a dark semi-circle was formed heavily.

"Hey, c'mon, stand up... I'll take you home." Slowly and ever so gently, I touched her shoulder with one finger. I looked around and reached out to grab her left wrist but as soon as my fingers touched her skin she pulled back her hand. "Don't!" She hissed loudly. Stepping back and lifting both hands over her shoulders she moved her face to the side. "Don't!" She repeated behind clenched teeth. "I said I can handle myself!"


	24. The answer

**Author's note; **Mm, nothing to say here, just that I really need to keep updating the story... obviously -.-

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**Chapter 24; 'The answer'

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**

My eyes just literally opened on their own accord after another dream of falling. Outside the hut, the village was blanketed by a fog which blurred everything from afar. I looked up and even the canopies were thick with white haze. The world was quiet and as usual, only a few natives were up this early in the morning. I began to stretch while taking my daily stroll. Most people who were up early were always older women sweeping fallen leaves while others gathered food from their storage hut.

"_Ho'ete_, friend of Hng'uti nolo!"

I turned my head to the modulated lovely voice to my right. Three young women, all with dark complexion and hair, were smiling brightly at me. I smiled back and nodded coyly. "Morning." I replied back and they started to giggle at each other. Feeling slightly embarrassed, I blushed and walked off taking long steps and turning into a curve around a large up-side-down cone shaped rock. I started to wonder about my nakama. What could they be doing now? Obviously, asleep but what are they going to do for the rest of the day? Are they searching for me? Are they mad at me? Would Luffy be?

While I pondered at this, I came to a halt in front of a thick mangrove tree and grumbled at the realization that this was the third time I've come across the tree. I'm definitely going around in circles in this case. I sighed and rubbed my head and suddenly, as if on cue, not too far from where I was standing, the bushes to my right began to tremble at someone's upcoming presence. At the beginning I saw a blue head popping out from beneath the banana bushes and that was enough to make my mind click. Just before the marine stepped out from the undergrowth, I threw myself behind the thick tree and started to undertake the expected routine. From the mangled thick bark of the tree, I was like a peeping Tom, following the marine's action. She kept walking while looking back to the forest floor and mumbling to herself.

I squinted my eyes to see her face from the smothering fog then I found myself mystified. The marine's eyes were all red and swollen but under her eyes, a dark semi-circle was formed heavily. The bridge of her nose and the surrounding cheek were also red and swollen. Tashigi turned forward and searched the place suspiciously and began to scurry to the more civilised part of the village, the thinning fog hiding her. I stepped out, feeling stupid and childish. I twisted my head to where she originally came from and wondered if… well, maybe she came out early to train, or maybe she fell asleep somewhere within or… worse. She could be a spy of the marines! A traitor! But no… I doubt it. She wouldn't come all the way just to do all these 'tree hugging' crap. Anyway, she's too naïve to even come up with that idea.

The image of her face flashed in my head again. To me, she looked like she didn't had any sleep at all. She seemed paler and skinnier than before. Maybe she's sick. Maybe she caught a cold and got sick. Or she could have been sleep walking and that's why she kept mumbling to herself about how she managed to reach this area. I felt like I was a detective walking slowly towards the bushes while rubbing my chin. I searched the place for some clues, only my eyes moving. Maybe she was hiding something and so the cause of her looking all suspicious when she came out. I looked down at the bushes then up to the nearby large trees trying to exploit some more possibilities.

I looked back and around to see if someone was watching me and if the woman came back. Lucky for me, no one comes to this area that's why… that's why- this was where… I brought her... This place, I remember now! During the night we fought when everything was revealed to me… damn. What was she doing here again?  
I began to freeze, so lost in thought that I didn't notice my arms dangle painfully to my sides. Stepping back, I decided that it was best if I not go back here again and hope that if I'll ever get lost, I would keep coming to this place several times. This is enough. I'm sick of this. I don't want anymore of this melodramatic signs.

I performed an about face and scratched the back of my head when the fog cleared. I knew it was going to be another crappy boring day like any other. As usual, like a habit, the sun woke higher up to the sky and together with it the natives followed suit. We had our typical breakfast with me being careless and quiet… so did Ruby, surprisingly. All through out the morning Ruby didn't said anything to me although when I was training- rock lifting more likely, he sat on a log watching me while waiting for his 'friend'. I paid him no mind thinking it was best if I should not start any conversation or else he'll take it as an invitation and speak non-stop. I peaked at him from the sides of my eyes and like a slouched, bored statue he just sat staring at me, his head lolled to the side. He had no expression by him.

"Uh-hum!" I cleared my throat and spat on the ground. I wanted to say something, maybe an opening tease but the okama sighed right after, stood up and left. When he was gone, I stopped and dropped the boulders, the ground trembled. Wonder what's up with him?

Morning was boring, very typical and I think my muscles are tightening up again. That was good and because I've no disturbance, my body picked up again and my training went heavier as the days came by. I've become stronger, at least that's what I think, and the only way to find out was to test it. Maybe later I should try taming some wild beasts.  
The next time I saw the okama again, he was smiling and laughing together with some natives and with the marine.

"-ke up and don't remember anything?" I heard Ruby gasped. "Uhu. Nurses always tol-" Tashigi replied but her words were to low. I gathered up my guts to walk past them but planned not to mind them, just ignore them. Even though I managed to rudely ignore them, they didn't do the same.

"Hey, Zo-chan!" Ruby called and the natives followed. I shut my eyes tight and cocked my lowering head to the side, to avoid there looks. I successfully scurried past them and let their words enter one ear and escape to the other. I didn't want them anymore to greet me or be polite to me 'cuz I wasn't ready to reciprocate it back. But they just giggled it away and then…

"Hi, Roronoa."

I didn't breath after that, or rather I couldn't. I kept walking, my feet taking long and fast steps. When I knew I was far from them, I turned back and watched them walk off from afar. They were all far now still smiling and talking lively but my eyes only rested to one particular small insignificant figure that I knew from the outside world. I began to pant as if I was running instead of walking. My eyes followed the marine until she faded and my eyes began to sore. Sighing, I pulled my head back and together with my body and cast my eyes to the soil. My bare feet was half coated with dirt and ripped off leaves and grasses.

When I looked around I barely remembered the place so I calmed myself on a rock, my hands on my knees. I was caught in my daily musings again which was also becoming a bad habit. Thinking was never going to get me anywhere and it- hell- would never help me achieve all my plans for the day but I know… that thinking was going to give me possibilities, a better understanding to everything. But then I was never used to thinking too much. Even now I'm thinking… So what? Am I a philosopher now? Maybe this is just one of the results of being far from the crazy idiots I call 'my nakama'.

I killed the afternoon with the concocted plan; I jogged, I did push ups, started air push ups over the branches, a gorilla with small wings pushed me off so I stopped air push ups and temporarily leave it for tomorrow, did some weights, added heavier weights, meditated under the waterfall, did some swimming, mediated again, fell asleep woke up with a head ache and boom! Day ended, it was already dark, and my temporary habitat was dark with only the small luminous dots floating around and a bright orange-yellow light dancing from the village.

I had muscle cramps and aches when I left the waterfall, and I had to ask for a dry skirt. Every time I walked or move a muscle, my joints would snap and my muscles prevented me from making anymore movements. Over all I was a total wreck. I staggered towards the centre and as always, the volume of the noise increased each time I went closer to the middle. People were singing, dancing and eating around a large bon fire. It was a typical carousing… well almost after I saw Tashigi lifting a wooden cup and held it up to her mouth and drank all the contents before slamming it down to the ground.

Ruby grabbed her right shoulder, pulled it and shook her from side to side, the liquid inside his cup spilling down to his wrists. My body began to tremble with hysteria but I silenced it no matter how much I wanted to join in. Well, this was the least scene I expected for the night. This was the first time I've ever witnessed the marine enjoying and taking part of the drinking party, then again maybe that's fruit juice she's drinking. The tribal celebration looked fun but when I turned my head to the marine's state, I saw pity. I decided it was best not to join in. I was in the place where the eye could not see, I stood under a large tree and hid underneath it becoming one with its shadow. It was to prevent them from seeing me and further invitations that I will turn down anyway. I didn't hope to acquire the title as the 'bad guy' or 'Mr. Party pooper'.

I stood observing only one person, watching her take her eighth cup and let the golden liquid spill to the side of her mouth. She was such a messy drinker, that was inevitable from a noob like her. Ruby on the other hand just had his twentieth cup and he was partying like a crazed baboon freed from a cage. He went berserk screaming everywhere and almost jumped to the fire.

Both began to calm when the rest of the people slowly dispersed to go back to their huts and end the day. The fire showed some signs of weakness until finally the red embers turned into ashes. Only a few were around. The marine was wrecked, her head lolling down between her knees and her wet limp hands lying on the dirt beside her. Now and again she would swing forward but she managed to pull back again. Someone would think she's a sitting corpse if Ruby had not kicked her on the ankle to wake her up. She pushed her head back weakly. They talked, still laughing and were still able to mess around. Ruby pushed her head while she slapped off his arm. The okama placed his weak hands on her shoulder and grinned at her while Tashigi nodded and pushed him away. Ruby walked backwards and lifted his hands in surrender then walked away.

Tashigi was left alone without anyone talking or keeping her company anymore. Her head was lying on her shoulder while her hair covered her face. From behind, Hek'oe came over and touched her back making her stiffened again and look back. That's when I moved and came out from the darkness. I couldn't avoid walking past them since it was the only way to my hut so I had to suck up my childish fear and prayed that the chief would not notice me. But it was impossible to sneak up to an old veteran like him. I saw his right ear twitch and he lifted his head to my direction and flashed a bright assuring smile. Here it goes… "Zoroh." He started softly. "Evening, chief." I nodded and pretended to smile when I'm thinking 'shit'.

He looked down to the, what seemed to be, sleeping woman just beside our feet. Hek'oe bent down beside her head again. "Tashyeegi, you need to go back to hut, now. You need help, yes?" He asked modulated like a mother to a child. "Naw, 'am good~" She mumbled behind her thick blue hair. "I 'an go back… 'n my own~" She coughed a laugh and touched the old man's feet. "Zoroh," "Hm!" I jumped from the sudden call. "Can you bring her to hut?" He asked.

Wow! Great! Just super! All the effort of hiding and running away from her all came down to this! All of it died in vain in the end. Now I am to bring her home like her guard or something. Has this geezer any idea about the situation he just slapped at my face? Didn't he ever wondered about the reason's why from the past few days I've been acting odd, always separating myself from everyone, always trying to get myself lost and always sulking every second when I'm bored? Did he ever think about how this is going to ruin the end of my day? Can't he see my eye twitching from spasm and my nostrils flaring so widely, that you can stick a whole thumb in, while I breath frantically from these holes? Dammit! No! Hell no am I taking that damned drunken limp dead body to her hut! Why would you bring that home? It's freakin' dead!

"Okay…" I whispered and sighed feeling light headed from all the negative thoughts. Looser. Who am I kidding? Of course I can't speak my mind. "Good. Thank you. I need to see old woman Rana. She is very sick. She need attention." The chief tapped my bicep and walked around me. "Good night, Zoroh." He smiled down at the thin figure by my feet. "Good night, Tashyeegi." He looked up to me and nodded. "Bring her safely, okay?" Then he disappeared.

Slowly, I twisted my head back down to the slouched 'dead body' on the ground. She wasn't moving, she was like a statue posed as a ball. Just like yesterday, she looked… sad. I sighed heavily again and rubbed my face then put my arms akimbo. I looked around sucking in my lower lip, searching if there was anyone who could take my place. There wasn't any. "Uhm…" I continued to look around while bending forwards. "Hey, c'mon, stand up... I'll take you home." Slowly and ever so gently, I touched her shoulder with one finger. "M'okay~" She moaned and slowly lifted her round blue head.

Like a baby, she staggered to get up, her knees buckling. I kept my arms open in case she falls but in truth, I'd rather see her fall than drop on my body. Her legs weakened as expected and fall back to the ground; I scratched my head, irritated. She was back on repeat again. "Oh, crap…" She mumbled. Tashigi lifted her head and looked up to me behind blue curtain as hairs. Quickly, I looked away and pretended to reach a hand. "Let's go." "I 'an handle me-self…" She twisted to her side and pushed herself up again but she managed triumphantly. While up, she kept staggering like it was her first time to walk and intermittently she stops and touches her temple. I thought it may be best if I leave her, then again that would be breaking the chief's order, so I forced myself to trail after her.

She fell sideways and was caught by a tree but still hit her head. Tashigi leaned against it, clawing on the mangle old bark. "Ow, dammit." If I don't do anything about it, it would really look like I was the bad guy here. "Are you- c'mere." I looked around and reached out to grab her left wrist but as soon as my fingers touched her skin she pulled back her hand. "Don't!" She hissed loudly. Stepping back and lifting both hands over her shoulders she moved her face to the side. "Don't!" She repeated behind clenched teeth. "I said I can handle myself!"

Oh lord. "C'mon already. I need to get some sleep too." I scratched my jaw. "I can do it!" Tashigi growled louder this time and pushed my chest back. When she looked up to me, her angry face crumpled to being in pain, tears quickly filled over the dark semi-circle under her eyes. Tashigi's lower lip quivered and looked away pulling a lock. "I don't need any- I told you." "Oh so you don't?" I asked sarcastically. "You can't even take two steps without falling back down again. Show me some improvement and I'll leave you." "I can, so go away! I can do it, alright! I always do… alone." She started staggering off between the mangrove trees. "Why would _you _help me?"

Her legs started to tremble a lot stronger until… she fell again. Tashigi started snivelling and wiped of her face. "Go on, Roronoa… You can leave me and go to sleep. I don't want to be a pain." She suddenly pulled her hands over her face and began to sob, when I least expected it. I let her cry thinking that maybe she's just- ah, let her drown to her own emotions. It's true what they say, women do cry when they're drunk. I swallowed hard like a lump was stuck in my throat. After awhile, she dropped her hands and leaned against a root of a tree. When she became quiet, I kneeled in front and scooped her off the ground; taking one of her arm and hooked it around my neck and the other on her stomach while my right arm crawled beneath her knees to lift her. I began to walk but then I couldn't remember which tree her hut was on and since my hut was nearer, I brought her there.

Carrying her all around was very hard, especially when her pale almost glowing face was showing up to me, so visible in the dark. I looked down at her and, of course, her tears and snot were freshly wet on her face, her eyebrows were curled like she was still in pain while sleeping. I felt guilt and wondered why I am so; it wasn't like I was the one who broke her heart. When I lay her inside my hut, I wiped off the mixed liquids on her face with a soft cloth and set it aside before making her lie down comfortably. Another tear rolled down to the corner of one eye then she whimpered. I found myself staring at her before I walked out. My chest tightened again and the pain stabbed me straight to my heart.

I was enveloped by the questions that started with 'why'. Why did my day turned out like this? Was there any meaning behind it? Why did I end up with the person I've been avoiding since the day we met? Why is it that none of my negative emotions emerge when the person responsible for releasing them were lying here before me, vulnerable as a baby chick? And… why, Tashigi? Why are you pretending to not care? "Ah, what the hell…"

I walked out and situated beside the root under my hut. I leaned my head back and looked up to the hanging bright glowing pods. I was always so mad, always so pissed off because of her very existence. It was an insult… and yet now, how come I feel dejected? All I started to feel now was melancholy.  
Ah, no more time to waste thinking all night, Zoro.  
Swarms of fireflies fluttered over my head until my fatigue transported me to the realm of dreams…

* * *

**Coming up…**

"Yaah!" Tashigi had her sword pulled to her side and was ready to slash it horizontally to the archer's neck. She successfully finished the attack but three arrows were rocketing towards her. As far as I remembered, I saw only two arrows flying to the trees. Deep crimson blood endlessly flowed from the arrow that went through and got stuck in her left leg.

She leaned her head to the root and looked up while taking lungful of air and with haste slide off the stick from inside her thigh. "Aaah! Fuuuck!"

I kept thinking that this is sad and yet I never did anything about it. It should be me helping her with changing her bandages just to return the kindness she did to me before.


	25. I gaze at you

**Author's note; **Ack! I was sad... again, after reading some ZoTa fanfics. I was like DAAAMN! Why didn't I come up with those? Oh well... I guess I shall keep failing, yes. **-_- **Whoop! Action chapter right here, folks! Holla!

* * *

**Chapter 25; "I gaze at you"

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**

Because Ruby never bothered me anymore and because I was always separated from the two of them, I caught up with my training completely and my strength had come back to me. That, I think, was the only good news I know. I found that I was more useful to the natives. They taught me a lot of things; they taught me to make baskets, roves for huts... it was all complicated at the beginning but it became clearer to me. They set up a 'tribal learning' every afternoon limited only for me. They forced me to learn basket making, roof making, bracelet, anklet, necklace- basically jewellery making and even sewing my own skirt. They said that instead of wasting my time sleeping, maybe I should spend more time with them and learn their ways that way I'd have some experience being around them. My 'teachers' were young native women who always giggle at my every mistakes.

When it was time to 'learn' and when Ruby walks past, he always glared at the women and make faces when he looks away. It's probably just his stupid okama jealousy striking. I was glad at the fact that every time I was around Ruby and the marine, the marine always walks away saying she has something else to do. Like me, she was also always busy doing errands for the leaders and for the older women. And when she wasn't doing much, I always see her hanging out with her 'friends' always laughing and doing childish things with them... not that I'm complaining or jealous. Because of all these, the chances of us looking at each other or sharing any social interactions decreased from five percent to zero, again, I am not complaining. Admittedly, I was becoming more and more farther from both of them while they were becoming closer to each other.

The impact it did to me was... well, not too much really it's just I couldn't get over the realization that I was left alone even though I was the one leaving them and even though the people were accepting me more and more. Yet the feeling of being an outcast remained in my consciousness. I went meditating in the waterfall and was interrupted by a bunch of squeaky, girly giggles. It came closer and closer until I had no choice but to open my eyes. Five young women just dipped themselves into the water. All were wearing flimsy get-up and came giggling at each other while nudging to look at me. I grumbled and closed my eyes again tightly trying to sink into my conscious mind and not succumb to the disturbance. My ears twitched at the sound of water sloshing and the noise went closer. I had to open my eyes again and just as I did, I slammed my body back against the rock behind me, surprised.

The five tribal women were encircling me and watched me with wonder and curiosity. As a man, I could not ignore the explicit images before me. Because they were all wet, their thin garments gave away their dangerous, voluptuous upper curves and revealed all that they were trying to hide. They may as well be in front of me naked as it was obvious that there was no point wearing those traitorous fabrics. Their pretty faces brightened at my wake and sparkled from the reflection of the light from the water.

"Hello, Zoroh!" The one to the right giggled and elbowed the girl beside her.

"What are you doing?" Another one struggled at the words.

"Uhm, meditating..." I coughed. They all looked at me as if I had three heads. They demanded further explanation. "It's when you relax yourself and either think of the past or the future, yes."

They looked at each other so I wondered if they understood or not. Doesn't matter, they'll never pay heed to it anyway. I hope they'd go away and take their swimming elsewhere but much to my great annoyance, they decided to stay and seem to start... flirting with me. Oh lord! One dark girl with long wavy hair (all of them had long wavy hair so I see no point of differentiating one from another) sat beside me to the right and mimicked what I was doing. The only girl I knew- _Niwin-_ who came closer in front of me and touched my knee which, again, made me hit my head against a rock.

"Ow, damn!" This was the place for the ero-cook and not for me, at all. Instead of being concerned and ask if I was alright, they rudely laughed at me. "Zoroh!" Niwin grinned, her dark eyes glimmering. "Tell me what you are thinking!" She chuckled. I rubbed the back of my head and switched my gaze from one face to another. I didn't notice but a chick came to my left, ran a hand on my left bicep and suddenly leaned the side of her face on it. "Yo!" "You're arms very big." She marvelled and I moved away, pulling myself to the side. "R-right, yeah…" I smiled sheepishly. The other girl to my right started measuring my bicep muscle with her fingers until she pinched. "_Nga_! Very hard!"

And with that, the others took this as an invitation and followed suit. They all started to touch and pinch the every contours of my body where muscle was available. They even moved on to discussing about my green hair. I called a time out when, I don't know who's, boobs came in contact with my skin. "Whoow! Hey, hey!" I shot up and stepped around them and walked backwards in the water. They all stared back at me with confused disappointed looks. "Well, uhm, it's been… great being around you all, you know going all _harem_ around me and all but… I have some things to get done so," I struggled to get on a rock by the bank and pulled my swords. "I gotta' go. See you later."

I didn't give them chance to reply back 'cuz I didn't need any. I scurried off towards the huts while tying the strap of my swords when suddenly *Bump!* "_Ikalah_!" A man clashed together with my body, he staggered backwards and hit the wall of the nearby hut. He looked horrified, his eyes wide and his mouth open as he pant through it. "Zoroh!" He suddenly grabbed on my shoulders and widened his eyes. "Zoroh, Zoroh!" He continued to cry my name. "Hey what's wrong?" I took his arms and tried to calm him.

"Zoroh! Fight!" He looked back and pointed. "Piratis! Come!"

He backed away from me and pulled one wrist and led me back to the forest surrounding the village. We were both running when from afar we saw a large tree crashing down and the earth trembled at the fall. I knew right then there was trouble. I continued jogging to the direction where the giant tree collapse and pushed a banana leaf that was on the way. I stopped; a few meters away from me stood Tashigi with her back facing me. Two wounded hunters by her feet were clutching on her legs whimpering in fear. She was focusing on someone ahead.

"Stay here." I told the man with me. I walked to the side craning my neck to see two men standing away from the marine. Both were outsiders, clearly, with their pirate-like get-up which gave away their identity. One had a bow and arrow in his hand, he had a long blonde hair and a long cape, and men did he looked bored. The other one was a shorter man, holding two sharp axes and a cigar was stuck between his grinning mouth. The freshly fallen tree was lying diagonal from them. The short pirate seethed through his mouth and blew purple haze. "So how 'bout it, little miss. I don't wanna' hurt you. Let me pass through so I won't have to try using my axe on you again." He lifted one finger to clean his ear. "I'm a man of my word."

I watched the marine slowly lift her head from the crying hunters. "And I'm a woman of my word and I repeat 'no'." She answered solemnly. Short man grimaced at her and lifted his chin higher. "Stubborn bitch." He groaned and turned his head to his companion. "Bart!" He barked.

The tall blonde started firing multiple arrows to the marine. Tashigi quickly crouched down and shove the two hunters to the side and ran circling the pirates while evading the arrows at the same time. Just as she was sprinting around I remembered that she was only carrying a machete and not her green sword. The battle was already favoured to the pirates at the first place. I knew she had her attention to the small man while keeping the archer at bay by letting him do his firing. She went zigzagging around as she went closer to her opponents.

Short man lifted one of his axes when Tashigi jumped up to the fallen tree and kicked herself up so she went flying over the smoking man. She pulled out her machete as the man toss his large weapon towards her. I saw a glint of panic flash across her face when she remembered she was not only parrying the axe but also three more arrows. She successfully deflected the axe and twisted herself to avoid the long pointy arrows too. Tashigi fell down to her original spot crouching and hissing at the enemy. But when she looked to the front, she had to pull her head back to the ground again when the second axe went flying towards her neck. "Ah!" She rolled to her right.

Now that she evaded the flying axe, it came flying straight to me. With one slash of _Wadou_, I extricated the weak metal of the axe's handle. ***Whim! Whim! Whim! Crunch!*** The blade bit on a tree trunk while the handle fell on the bushes behind. I didn't plan the flashy intro but of course that stripped their minds of each other and gave me a small chance to shine. I noticed the stertorous marine looked back to me too her eyes widened impedingly. I blinked at her, one hand inserting back _Wadou_ to his sheath. There was no way she could win this battle, not especially with this mangled-like state of hers as if she never had any nutrition or sleep in

her entire life. Unless maybe if she did improve and that I'm just so much of a jerk to under estimate her, she frowned tighter and took a deep breath before slowly rising with her weak weapon again. Both pirates briskly brightened at my apparition and trembled with joy, even the boring archer had a glint of surprise by him.

"Hoho!" Short man plucked off his cigar and grinned mockingly at me. "What the fuck is this?" He laughed touching his blob for a stomach and elbowed 'Bart'. "Roronoa Zoro, you're the least motherfucker I expected to be up in this shit hole of an island- naha! Not especially running around in your underwear!" He laughed heartily again. "Such a looser man!" "Mm, yeah, well you know," I started walking closer to the lone woman. "If you want to get into that village," I pointed back with my thumb. "You gonna' hafta' go through me first." "That's gonna be hard." Fat boy chuckled.

The woman beside me hissed and glared daggers at me. "Roronoa, do not disturb." She spoke between clenched teeth. "Maybe you should take it easy, eh." I whispered and kept studying the enemy and tried to concoct the best attack to end them. "You could still be drunk from last ni-" "Look, I do not have the time to nag with you about that. I've got something to do. This is my buisness!" Tashigi whined softly.

When I noticed our proximity, I began to dislodge myself from her and stepped sideways. I snorted and dismissed my winning plans. "Fine." I glowered. "This will be quick..." She sheathed her machete back and made a stance that made you think if she was about to run a race. "So, Roronoa, how do I call you now?" The fat small man began walking around holding only one more axe. "Mr. Stone age man? Or Mr. Tree hugger?"

Furtively and without any warning whatsoever, Tashigi ran to the blob with full speed. The pirate was too cocky, too disturbed and apparently, too fat to act fast from her assault that when he lifted his axe it was too late. Tashigi had swung her weapon diagonally to the man's large body. Blood sprayed and spluttered to the air and soil. He fell on his knees shaking and dropped the axe with his body, pools of blood quickly took place. Tashigi did not waste any more time and did not took a short break from her attack. Just as she reached the back of the small man, she jumped over a mushroom and flew over the archer. The archer panicked and even though he managed to pull another attack, it was quite too late. He knew himself that bows and arrows were long range weapons and that Tashigi's long machete was half a meter away from his neck but yet he still released his arrows.

"Yaah!" Tashigi had her sword pulled to her side and was ready to slash it horizontally to the archer's neck. She successfully finished the attack but three arrows were rocketing towards her. She pushed herself to the side to avoid it once more and she fell to the ground with a loud thud. Both pirates lay dead and yet, I wasn't entirely sure if their killer shared the same fate as them. As far as I remembered, I saw only two arrows flying to the trees. I stepped forward and watched the woman roll to her back.

As she did, I saw a stick standing on the side of her left thigh. "Agh!" She growled. It started to bleed. I gasped, the third arrow did manage to get her. Deep crimson blood endlessly flowed from the arrow that went through and got stuck in her left leg. She crawled backwards to a tree root while breathing like crazy. "Aghn!"

"Hng'uti nolo!" Both injured hunters cried and hopped towards her.

"Hng'uti nolo!" They kept crying but did not touch her.

"I'm okay, I'm okay…" She breathed and was still able to smile and look at them, although she looked like she wanted to bite on them. I jogged towards her and waited if she ever needed my help, all pride aside. But my feet betrayed me yet again, they stopped. Tashigi's shaking hand grabbed the tip of the arrow and snapped it. "Ughn!" She grunted at the vibration and kept panting.

The hunters talked to each other and the other one came jogging to the village in pain, pushing himself too much. "Ah… erhn!" Tashigi kept gnashing then moved on to coiling her fingers around the, now, slippery with blood, long rod in her thigh. She leaned her head to the root and looked up while taking a lungful of air and with haste slide off the stick from inside her thigh. "Aaah! Fuuuck!" She growled into the sky, her voice cracking and for the first time, I agreed to the rumours saying that she does seem to act like a man.

"Nah! Hng'uti nolo!" The young hunter cried, panicking. Tashigi kept seething through her teeth. She bent forwards to rip of a long piece from her skirt and tied it tightly around the holes from each sides of her wounded thigh. The marine glared at the never ending bleeding leg and cupped her hands to cover the holes, preventing them from losing more blood. It was a serious wound, no questions asked. While I pondered at this, Ruby bumped me from behind and ran straight to his best friend screaming her name again and again. And suddenly, more people came together with him, surrounding the wounded heroine. Some hunters cursed at the dead intruders and double killed them by stabbing them over and over with their sharp black bamboos, mercilessly. Tashigi was covered with all the commotion and my body began to calm. The leaders hurried and everyone opened a way for them. Hek'oe came beside me, panting while craning his neck to see through the commotion.

"What happened, Zoroh!" He gasped.

I explained everything to the chief, everything from the invading pirates to the furtive merciless murder by Tashigi. He was very pleased ad amazed but was still so very worried. I never saw Tashigi again during the whole day, neither did I saw Ruby, 'cuz he was definitely with the woman so most of the time he was an omen. The last glimpse I had of her was on her usual spot on the rocky river bank. I don't know why but she was always there as if waiting for something.

"Ah, ow!" She groaned and hissed.

I hid myself behind a tree and watched her with her left leg on top of a rock; beside her was the green ointment she used to dab on me before I was the one wounded. She cleaned the corners of the red holes and then slowly encircled the swollen flesh with the green goo. She whimpered like a puppy and clawed on the rock beside. After that she rolled around a bright green bandage around the two holes to cover them. Tashigi sighed and looked up. "Such a weakling." She muttered to herself.

I kept thinking that this is sad and yet I never did anything about it. It should have been me helping her with changing her bandages just to return the kindness she did back to me before. Guilt started striking me once more and soon it gave me the idea about how much of an arrogant unreliable bastard I have become.

* * *

**Coming up…**

**"Omigod!"** Ruby interrupted bringing his hands up to his mouth, his eyes wide with horror.

My eyes settled to a small figure of something or someone crouched into a ball between the tentacle-like roots of the large inhabited mangrove tree.

When I saw her face, she looked horrible than before. The semi-circle under her eyes were darker and her lips the colour of pale purple, her eyes were droopy she could barely lift her lids. Her complexion was ghostly white and when Ruby cupped her chin, her head lolled to her side. She had no strength at all; this was an image of someone dying.

"Fuck sake, help!" He cried for me again.


	26. Look deed

**Author's note; **Sorry fer the one day delay. I was caught up in some 'family buisness'... or sumthin' like that... yeah. Ap! Here comes Chappy 26!

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**Chapter 26; "Look deed"

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**

I was walking around not sure what to do when Ruby walked past me from the font, both our body almost collided. He jumped in surprise and shot a look at me. "Whow! Jeez, Zo-chan. Seriously!" He grinned and touched his chest.

"Where are you heading?" I asked looking to the direction to where he was going.

"Ah~ so you're suddenly interested about me now, hmm?" He pursed his lips and looked at me from head to toe. "Are you lonely now, Zo-chan? Now that you need a company you're gonna start hanging with me again?" Okama teased smoothly.  
"Shut up. I'm just bored, is all." I looked away, scratching my neck.

"Well," He continued to walk and I followed. "I'm gonna see Tash-Tash and shower her all the compliment I can invent!" He clapped his hands and toss up his hands. "If I was there, I'd be her cheerleader and I'ma be like, 'L-O-V-E Tashigi! Tashigi! L-O-V-E Tashigi!'" Ruby paused and screamed in an annoying high pitched noise and hopped on one feet. I quickly pulled him down and dragged him forwards.  
"Will you stop that!" I growled. "You're embarrassing me. At least ac-"**  
"Omigod!" **Ruby interrupted bringing his hands up to his mouth, his eyes wide with horror.

My eyes struggled to see what he did and searched for why he began to cry. My eyes settled to a small figure of something or someone crouched into a ball between the tentacle-like roots of the large habited mangrove tree. The small figure was trembling, no, it was vibrating from the morning cold and from where I was, it looked like it was part of the root, only that it was whiter. It was thin and pale and looked so fragile like old paper but with blood flowing from one part of its body. When I saw the much familiar blue head- it was Tashigi.

"Oh my God!" Ruby yelled once again and ran straight to the trembling slouched woman. Tashigi kept vibrating and the blood continued pouring from her legs. Ruby cupped her face between his hands and made her look at him. He never stopped shrieking and hugged her ever so tightly and pushed her slightly to look at him again. When I saw her face, she looked horrible than before. The semi-circle under her eyes were darker and her lips the colour of pale purple, her eyes were droopy she could barely lift her lids. Her complexion was ghostly white and when Ruby cupped her chin, her head lolled to her side. She had no strength at all, this was an image of someone dying. I jogged towards her but could only manage to stay a meter away from her. Tashigi was loosing so much blood, it was sickening and disturbing to watch even though I've seen myself loose more blood countless times. It was different. She was not breathing properly, instead she was wheezing like her wind pipe was blocked.

Ruby cradled her face between his chest and his hands on the back of her head. Tashigi's face was laying on top of his shoulder which made her look up to me. I watched her with horror when her eyes horrifically rolled back making it looked like she was a fresh corpse. Suddenly, everything went in slow motion. I watched her white face rock side to side on Ruby's brown shoulder with her purple mouth slightly opening for oxygen. Ruby pulled her back so he could turn around slowly at me. The rim of her eyes turned pink and filled with tears which instantly streamed down to his cheeks. He opened his mouth as wide as he could like he wanted to snap at me. Yet I could not hear anything. All the noise mixed into one deafening hum, as if a bomb exploded beside me.

"Zoro, for God's sake do something!" Ruby reached out and slammed his fist on my foot and yanked me off my reverie. He quickly pulled back his extended arm and wrapped it around Tashigi and leaned her face on his chest. "Fuck sake, help!" He cried for me again.

I forgot the will to breath so I opened my mouth and the air instantly drove in. I panted and pulled Ruby off the woman and lifted her off the ground. I leaned back so her cold dying body pressed to my warmed one. Her weight amazed me, it seemed like I had nothing in my arms. "Tell me where to." My voice broke. "To the witch doctor! Quick!" Ruby ran back and I went after his lead.

Everything moved so fast, I couldn't believe seven hours have gone by. Seven hours! And I haven't done any training or helping or learning whatsoever. For seven hours I was sitting on a moldy old weak bench outside the witch doctor's large hut. I was staring at the same ground for hours and I don't know if I ever blinked or not. Inside my chest, I didn't felt anything. I was numb, the image of Tashigi dying struck hard on me and her face kept flashing. My face began to crumple with disgust and pain. Why did she do that? Why was she sleeping on the foot of the tree? Why did she let herself sleep outside? Why didn't she ask for any help if she was in pain, in cold and let the blood just drain from her? Why is she doing this?

_"I don't want to be a pain..." _Her voice resounded.

My nose started to sore with my eyes blurring from the stinging water in my eyes. I bent down covering my face with my large hands. "Ah." I snivelled. The coconut leaves, as curtains, hanging on the witch doctor's door shuffled against each other and the bench I was on swayed at Ruby's presence. I dropped my hand and faced him. "Ruby, what happened?" I grabbed his shoulder. He had the same expression as I did. His eyes droopy and red from crying, he stared into space and opened his mouth slightly. I waited for the results. "She's sleeping. She needs to be kept warm and need much rest. Tashigi lost so much blood." Slowly, his eyeballs moved to me. The corners of his lips pointed down and tears raced from his eyes. "She told me she's sorry." He coughed and began to cry loudly. Ruby slammed his face on my arm and cried, his warm tears trickling down to my elbow.

"What? Why?" I asked, lowering my head to his ear. "She said she didn't want any trouble. She said she didn't want to cause another hassle." He leaned back, his face wet with tears and snot. He started wiping them off with his thumb. "She apologized because... she," He wheezed and coughed. "She slept the whole night outside because she could not clim up. The pain of her wound was too great. " He looked at me with large shinning eyes. "That's why she stayed outside..." Ruby continued to drown in his emotions and bent down to his knees.

My chest continued to tighten but it tightened harder this time. Why is this happening? It's just bad news coming after another. Ruby placed his chin on both palms which rested on his knees. "Zoro, what's going on?" I looked at him. He looked at me, twisting his shoulders to the side to look completely at me. "Why..?" He paused and covered his mouth. "I noticed Tashigi getting weaker and thinner day by day. What's going on?" He shook his head while the tears kept falling. Ruby licked his lips. "You two have a problem... don't you?"

I looked to the front and nodded slowly. "Oh God. I knew it." He sighed and leaned on the wall behind us. "No wonder she's been awfully weird. She's been talking much, laughing and smiling? I knew something was up. And then everyday she ate less. Every morning her eyes were always red and she looked paler the more." Ruby explained. "I never thought she'd end up like this. I thought she was doing okay." I mumbled after a deep sigh. "No, I don't blame you or anything, Zoro. I'm just… saying, that," He stammered and I looked at him again. "That, things like this…" He shook his head looking at the ground. "Always, always happen to women when they're… broken."

"I know to you this may sound all too dramatic, complicated and so annoying." He continued. "I don't take you as someone who'd ever understand love but things like this are unavoidable. And I'm not telling you all this to feel guilty or whatever. I simply want you to… understand, you know. In fact, it's not your fault… unless it really is." He eyed me. "I didn't do anything…" I wasn't sure if I said it right because my voice didn't seem to agree with my words. Ruby smiled and closed his eyes. "Dammit, what the hell are you doing, Tash-Tash?" He cursed to the space in front of him.

It was all too obvious. I was a naïve idiot for thinking that all along she was okay. Of course she wouldn't. She was a hundred percent more affected than I was, even more… but she needn't have to do all these crazy things! It wasn't because she was gonna be a pain if she asked help from someone but then… every time someone lent her she always panicked and say 'I don't need any help' blah, blah. She was more arrogant that I. I wasn't sure if I could fix this issue at any rate. Everything was just slapped at me carelessly.

For the rest of the day, Tashigi was kept inside the witch doctor's hut with Ruby always tending to her wound and supervising her. I had the urge to maybe have a little peek to see how she was going but I felt that I was going to be shunned in the end still. She stayed in the large hut until the next day afternoon when she said she was strong enough to have a stroll and see what she'd miss. Ruby and her bonded more when he decided that she should stay in his hut for the time being. Even with her monster strength, she was still weak, she was still human. What the hell am I thinking? Of course she'd be much more of a human than me. We were both so very different. I could loose gallons of blood and still be able to fight while she only wounded her thigh and was almost about to die. Then again she was mentally and emotionally distressed too... Well, how bothersome.

To do a good deed and, to at least pay with a small kindness, I asked the leaders if I could take the woman's place temporarily and begged them to keep this a secret from them. Lucky for me they agreed. I put all the bad thoughts and the fresh incident aside and did something for myself; I trained for a short duration. After that, I walked around searching for Ruby who was surely always with the marine, but not this time though. While I was searching, I heard a thud from nearby followed up by laughter. Curious, I walked towards it not expecting to see a blood boiling and disturbing scene. I saw Tashigi fallen on the ground grimacing at the pressure applied to her wound. But what pissed me off the more was seeing Ki'teh and his pals laughing over her like bullies with matured balls and dicks.

"Uhn…" Tashigi glared up at them while reaching for her wooden staff for balance. Ki'teh snorted and crossed his arms against his chest. "Hm! You are not Hng'uti nolo!" He scoffed. That was enough to trigger my feet to strode towards him from behind. "Yo." I called and as soon as he turned his dark face, my large fist collided with his cheek bone. "Uhnf!" He grunted and fell straight to the ground, he recovered after ten seconds. His buddies crouched beside their pussy of a leader and watched me with fear.

Ki'teh pulled himself up wiping the blood from his nose and pulled an inch of his weapon. There might have been something in my glare that made his minions backing up and scurrying off leaving him alone to fend for himself. He snarled at me. "I'ma break my foot off yer ass, tree frog." I told him, lifting my chin higher arrogantly. I turned to the not so 'damsel in distress' and picked the staff off the ground and bend down to her. "Are you-" "Ah no!" She shrieked.

Tashigi was clawing at the ripped and scattered yellow petals of what looked like a flat mouldy flower. She tried her hardest to stand on one foot and began to pick the powdered petals. I pulled back my head at the remembrance. It was the very first flower I gave her. When I looked at her face, she looked like she was about to cry whether from the pain or from the ruined mundane organism. She started to gather them all dropping them on her palm, dirt included.

I crouched beside her and started to help. I noticed her look at me while I thought it best not to make eye contact. "There are more flowers in the mountain." I poured all that I gathered into her open palm. Slowly, while procrastinating, I looked at her deep brooding eyes. "If you want, I can get you some… right now." We stared at each other for, in my opinion, quite a long time until she broke off and straightened up on her own. She never looked back to me again. "Thank you, Zoro…" A forced smile broke in her face. I handed her back her stick and watched her struggle to walk between the mazes of huts.

"You're welcome, Tashigi."

**Coming up…**

She shook her head, looking at the flowing river. "I mean, to sum it all up I was just another fool who fell in love. From the beginning when I started to realize that I was actually falling in love with him I knew I was doomed. I know that I had already lost… even from the beginning. I was fighting a loosing battle."

"All I could think of was that this was just not fair, to get a taste of freedom only to be punished for it but like I said, I'm getting better each day and I'll get over this. I always do. I did before and I will again.


	27. Into those

**Author's note; **Another fave chappy of mine. And oh! By the way! Thank you for my two faithfull reviewers! I shall keep updating- and try improving-, yes.

* * *

**Chapter 27; "Into those"

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**

I decided to spend some free time up on the thick branches of the trees surrounding the rocky river while lying down enjoying the stillness and the soft calming blow of the breeze. It was a good time and place to nap. I was just about to happily close my eyes and let my tiredness drown me until I heard slow tapping footsteps by the rocky ground. I twisted my whole body so I was clinging on the branch like a lizard and peaked down under to see who my guest was. It was the familiar blue head of none other than the village heroine.

She was walking uncomfortably, almost hopping on one foot while leaning her weight against the long staff she used as a walking stick. Reaching up to a higher flat rock and collapsing on it, she sighed heavily in relief. She arranged herself further, together with the flat basket she brought, on the surface of the rock. On her flat basket was a woven roll of a green bandage and a coconut shell with green goo in it. I watched her through twigs of thick green leaves that got in the way of my vision every after the wind blows. "Hm~" Tashigi sighed after lifting her limp leg and grimaced down at it. After another sigh, she rubbed her palms against her face and covered it for awhile, her hair curtaining her fingers.

"Damn," Her words muffled then dropped her hands and continued to frown at her wound. "So careless and now so useless." She leaned down to it, as if whispering. "I can't go around helping people with you I have to go dragging all around." She spoke to her thigh. "Please do heal immediately." Tashigi sighed again and leaned back against the mossy rock.

I had a familiar sense of de'ja'vu when she unrolled her bandage and started cleaning her ugly wound with a damp cloth, encircling the corners of one bloody hole at a time. "Agh, disgusting." She hissed between her teeth. She kept about her business while I slowly pulled myself up from my tree-hugging position and shifted from the higher branch to the lower one so I could see her properly, everything about her was visible, from her arched body to her grimacing seething face. At this moment, I know that there was something I could do, something that I had to do but I was too much of a coward to jump down and maybe accompany her for a short time… but my mind kept controlling me, saying that there was nothing in here for me and that this was not my business. Maybe I was afraid that what happened in the beginning may repeat itself and the cycle might keep on and in the end, both of us will get hurt, again.

I pressed my chest and waist on the branch, hugging it whole with my arms and legs coiled as I watched her. I'd been plagued- cursed- by a persistent, uncomfortable intrusion of a specific mental image. It kept popping into my mind at a regular interval like some frickin' broken alarm clock set to sound every… I don't know, every fifteen minutes filling my head with Tashigi's face crumpled in pain. My mind pictured her image perfectly and kept it in the part of my brain where it stored memories.

"Oh, Tash-Tash!"

I bounced from my uncomfortable position and almost fell off from the okama's demanding scowl, closing in to assault his vulnerable target again. I poked my head out from the branch so I was peaking down at his bright purple head striding angrily to the woman watching him with horror at his every step. Tashigi stopped from what she was doing and watched Ruby hop on the rock she was on and sat opposite to her, sitting sideways. He lifted her left leg and slowly laid it on his lap. Ruby took the coconut shell with the clean bandages. "Why didn't you wait for me?" He scolded. Tashigi shrieked and began connecting the tips of both of her index fingers. "Uhm, ah." She stammered.

Okama sighed shaking his head, ignoring her. "Haay~ I don't know what to do with you." He started coating the green goo around the red holes and began wrapping with the bandages. "Girl, this is gonna take weeks to heal… or depends on how healthy you are so in our case, it's going to take months."

"I'm sorry-" "Don't apologize!" Ruby flicked a finger on her forehead which she quickly soothed with one hand. "Honestly, Tash-Tash," Ruby finished with a pretty knot on her bandage and touched her knee while looking at her with a hopeless expression. "Zo-chan was there, right?" I cringed at my name. "Why didn't you let him do the dirty work for you?"

"…"

"Come on! Don't you just want to watch him act all manly and cool when he kills those two useless bastards while not even sparing half a second? Woo!" He pretend to wipe of a sweat on his forehead and grinned while looking forward. He leaned back on one hand and while the other pretended to fan himself. "Now, I'd kill to see him in action."

"That would have been embarrassing." Tashigi answered, quietly.

"Hm?" Ruby raised an eyebrow at her. The woman pouted her lips again and slowly lifted her face to the confused okama. "If… if I let him do that, would he not think that I am no different than an ordinary girl?" I watched closely as her eyes dropped down to her legs until they turned to her side and she began to rub a finger on the rock. "Like- he might think that… I have no potential of becoming stronger and that I might only be using the excuse of not feeling alright so I don't need to fight those thugs." She made a face and scratched her temple then raked back her hair. "I mean, I don't know." She shrugged. "I just, really don't like it when people have the feeling that they should save me." She toss a pebble to the water. "Although I know it sound rude and arrogant but that's just how I feel."

They were both quiet. The wind blew, the thick leaves shuffling, getting in my way until they calmed and arranged back into their place. "But you can't do a lot of things without the help of others." Ruby whispered. "True." Tashigi smiled looking at him but Ruby frowned and stared at her. "You know, Tashigi," He paused and scratched his eyebrow but continued to massage his forehead. Ruby dropped both hands on hers and stared solemnly at her. "If you don't feel like smiling then don't." Tashigi's eyebrows lifted and her eyes froze. "Because I know how hard it can be." Tashigi's smile slowly evaporated and continued to grimace while trying to cover the pain with a thin attempt at bravado. I felt like a peeping Tom from the branches at a sorrow that was partly mine.

"Alright!" Ruby slapped his thighs looking around. I shuddered. What if he felt my presence? Shit, I'mma be fucked up again. I started gathering my hands and feet closer to my body that way I was completely hidden; I even laid the side of my face on the branch.  
"You need to let it all out." Ruby continued. "It's very unhealthy what you're doing to yourself."  
"I know." Tashigi chuckled. "Jeez, what the hell am I doing?" "I know some things," Ruby interrupted. "But you need to give me a heads up."

Slowly, I lifted my head again to see them. Tashigi sighed and shrugged. "I dunno." She shook her head, looking at the flowing river. "I mean, to sum it all up I was just another fool who fell in love. From the beginning when I started to realize that I was actually falling in love with him I knew I was doomed. I know that I had already lost… even from the beginning. I was fighting a loosing battle." She rubbed her chin and grinned. "I knew he was never going to reciprocate the feeling. It was all impossible, he's a somebody, he's an amazing man, and his name rocks the world while I'm just a simple nobody. And I was perfectly aware of what type of a man he was, even with all the negative rumours. Plus, he was a pirate and I a marine, so again, we cancel each other out."

Tashigi grinned widely. "Anyway, it went on and I thought it was just a childish infatuation so I tricked myself that 'Ah, whatever, I'll get over this!' but I didn't! The infatuation got worse! The day came and everything fell down on me and I came to realize that I was in love with him. I was not just obsessed. I was in love… I didn't even know how or why. It just _came_ drowning me and I was so afraid. I hated it but at the same time, it felt good… inside." She paused, touching her chest and giggled while covering her mouth. Ruby grinning after her. "I was happier than usual every time I saw his wanted poster."

"Wanted poster?" Ruby snickered.  
"It's the only picture I have of him. I know it sounds lame."  
"Yeah, whatever! Keep going."

"Uh, hum, so yeah I fell in love and it felt good but I know the consequences already and they were the most painful of all- he was never going to return it. You see, I happen to look like someone he knows dearly." She paused. "I won't go to that but I noticed that to him, I was like an invader, a _nobody_ invader who had no right to take that person's face because… well, I didn't fit to have the same face as her. And because of that, for him I had no right to exist and carrying her face forever. My feeling was like a one way ticket, like the train only goes there but it's never coming back. It hurts so much, it's still killing me. But then, I kept fantasizing, like a teenage idiot. I was holding unto a hopeless dream that may never come true but I just kept… day dreaming!" The marine laughed again.

"Wow. That's… really bad for your mental health!" Ruby flicked a finger on her knee. "You could get seriously depressed y'know."  
"Nah, I'm a hopelessly hopeful person. My strength builds up."  
"Ah, but, Tash-Tash, yer doing a great job!" Ruby kept on, clapping his hands succeeding on trying to trick the marine. "Keep going! Wow, I'm like a psychiatrist. Maybe I should quit show business? Ah! No, keep going!" He began and shook her, the marine just grinned.

"Ah yes. Well," She sighed slapping her normal thigh. "The fairytale ended like how he ended it during that day. But I love him. I really, _really _love him so much even though I know it wasn't right anymore..." She frowned sighed and dropper and eye lids. "I guess when a relationship cannot work it just stops there. That's it. And just like that," She snapped her fingers. "It's over. It's done. It's very unfair if you think about it but maybe the man fated for me is somewhere out there with a very simple lifestyle, also waiting for me." Tashigi stopped and toss another pebble to the water. "Yeah… I guess I feel you." Ruby agreed melancholy. "And it's very painful when he left you even though you're still crazy for him…"

"Mm, exactly." Tashigi smiled and nodded. "Then again, maybe it's supposed to be that way. Maybe this will make me strong and… maybe he's supposed to be with a _somebody_, like him. You know someone who's in the same level as him."  
"Then if that happens, you better call me. You call me and we'll kill that slut and cut off Zo-chan's dick!"

I chocked and almost fell from the branch again making the tree shudder and some birds flew away. Why the hell would he say something like that! That nasty okama! Both Tashigi and him laughed but after for awhile, they both stopped and ended up just smiling instead. Ruby played with the skin of her feet. "Well!" He shot. "We are very deep and dramatic today!" "Yes, yes we are very dramatic for the day." The marine nodded, smiling. "Oh gosh!" She gasped while still grinning. "That was embarrassing and so lame! Why the hell did I say all those!"

"Okay, Tash-Tash. Now I want you to cry." Ruby frowned at her.  
"What? What is this audition for drama club?" She shook her head.

"Oh for goodness sake I'm sick of you always lying and saying you're okay when you're barely- no not at all look like it! Be honest and cry already! Let it all out, bitch!" He growled. "You're not human if you don't cry and stop saying you're okay." But Tashigi sighed and pouted. "Yeah, I have to compromise. I have to be '_okay'_... that way things will turn out right again." Okama sighed heavily and looked like he was about to give up. "Not all things that should be done are right. And not all the right things should be done." Ruby began to act all serious and dramatic again, like a sudden change of demeanour. "Hmm, but… you know,"

"What if- what if while you were thinking about all those pessimistic bullshit, what if he actually… _liked_ you too?" He turned seriously to her. My heart began to pound, I laid my face on the wood again and decided to just listen instead of watch because- well I began to have a stiff neck, that's why. "You know what? I have always, _always_ thought about the very same question every day I wake up and every night before I sleep." Tashigi's voice was mellow. My eyes widened and my lips parted.

"What if he liked me too?"  
Silence.  
"But, I don't know…" She injected. "Okay so I admit I cried a lot and maybe… I'll cry again… later." She murmured. "Whe-?" "But you know, time goes by, life goes on. Healing a broken heart and soul is a very slow process but in the end, everything will be okay and if it's not okay, well then it's not the end." She stopped.

"But all I could think of was that this was just not fair, to get a taste of freedom only to be punished for it but like I said, I'm getting better each day and I'll get over this. I always do. I did before and I will again. This is a strong and tough woman right here. I'm a fuckin' sailor for god sakes. I won't go down easily. We get stronger every time we get hurt, right. So I will overcome all these."

"Wow, Tash-Tash." Ruby marvelled. Slowly, I lifted my head and craned my neck again to see if their positions changed and this time, Tashigi's face melted. Her smile quivered at the corners until they pointed down, the skin between her eyebrows creased and when she closed her eyes, I perfectly saw a tear quickly drop, as if I was meant to see it.

"But who am I kidding?" She grinned but the strong expression in her face dismissed it.  
"Tashigi…" Ruby whispered, the way I did in my head. He leaned closer to her, soothing her arm.  
"I'm sorry, Ruby-san. I guess I'm not as strong as you thought." She murmured, wiping of the fresh tears on her face vigorously. "Ugh. Dammit, stop already." She scolded herself.

After days of pretending, she finally gave in. I watched Ruby slowly reach out his arms and pulled Tashigi to his chest and she sobbed there, her whimpers muffling. Ruby rocked her back and forth saying 'shush' until he joined in to cry. He hugged her tightly, still running a hand on her arm. "That's it, let it all out. It's okay. You are very brave." From afar, this would only look like two people hugging; you won't think that one was crying. But the people from afar would not know the story behind their tight hug.

"I will not let go until you truly are okay." Ruby spoke in her hair and kissed her head. "Trust me, Tashigi, I will never leave you in vain. Don't think that you're alone on this one. I'll always be by your side as long as we're together." He lifted a hand to wipe his wet face and frowned. "Don't ever say that you're alone. I'm here." Ruby dipped his nose in her hair again. "Oh, my Tash-Tash~" He sobbed.

Tashigi giggled against his chest and so the okama grinned too. The marine pulled back and looked up to him and smiled widely at the liberty of seeing his painful expression. "Aw, look! You made a celebrity cry!" Ruby wiped the rim of his eyes. "Yer awful!" He pouted. Tashigi continued to chuckle and before wiping off his tears, she hugged him again, her head leaning on his chest. They stayed hugging and rocking each other for quite a long time until Ruby began to hum a song, like a lullaby for the woman.

"Ruby-san, let me _forget_ about him."  
Ruby giggled at that. "Oh yes. I'll _take_ him for you."  
I watched as her hands tighten around Ruby and she said. "I love the way you are, Ruby-san, and I'm so happy I met someone like you." She took a deep breath and sighed. "What would I be now if you were not here? A lot of people has left me, please don't become one of them." She begged.

"Of course!" Ruby instantly agreed. "You're my little pet, remember? Tashigi, men are idiots you know. They're scum of the earth assholes. They always get the rotten apples because they only reach out for the lowest parts of the tree." Tashigi pulled back to stare at him. "They don't climb up higher to gain the fresher delicious ones." He frowned. "Do not think that _you_ are the one not deserving him. It's him not deserving you! Men are idiots because they see only with their eyes, they don't see amazing women like you." He pulled back to observe her completely. "You are pure, honest and clean. It's their loss for not _seeing_ you. You are precious and special in your own way. Okay, so what if in the outside they see a normal average mundane girl, so they ignore you. But inside you are a jewel and yet they are too blind and dumb to see that. Only one man can see it and he's the one for you but for now… we don't know who he is." Ruby stopped and stiffened his back. "If I was a man, Tash-Tash, I'd definitely dig you." He frowned at her. "But I'm not so, holla!"

The speechless woman stared at him in disbelief, her mouth slightly ajar. "D-do you mean it… all?" She stammered, slowly. Ruby began to clean his nails. "What? You kidding? Hell naw. I said it 'cuz it makes me sound cool."

"Ack! Ruby-san!" Tashigi cried animatedly.  
"Chehe!" Ruby leaned forward to kiss her forehead. "Of course I did, my little numb-nut of a baby sister. I meant everything."  
When he opened his eyes, he quickly pulled back and covered his mouth. "Oh lord! Am I turning lesbo?"  
Tashigi laughed so hard, clenching on her left leg suddenly. "Ow! Ah, Ruby-san!" She moaned and whimpered. "Don't make me laugh. My wound is getting painful."

Ruby slowly pushed off her left leg and jumped off from the rock and started stretching on the ground. I ducked down my head slightly. "Ah! Let's go find something to drink." He collected all the herbs and baskets. "What? No!" Tashigi moaned leaning her head back lazily and shutting her eyes close. "I had enough of the last time we had one. That was a lesson for me. I'm never gonna do that again."

Ruby reached out a hand to assist her and took her long stick at the same time. "Oh stop moaning!" He growled. "We'll just call for Zo-chan to bring you to his hut again and when he's asleep, we'll strip him down." His voice deepened making it sound 'sexy'. "We'll shave his arm pits, we'll pour honey all over him and pretend that for the past three months we wuz' a… hungry bear~"

"What? Ruby-san, enough with all those perverted jokes!" Tashigi yelled again in a high pitch voice. I yelled in my head too and my whole body turned into a stone statue, my muscles had spasms all over and if I were eating, I'd puke them all. My face began to heat. Why the hell does he always have to destroy the solemn mood? Perverted good for nothing okama!"Ah, you don't like that idea neither." Ruby sighed heavily. "Yeah, you really are boring. Well then let's go piss on some women who've been running after him like some bitches in heat!" They started walking underneath my branch.

"Th-there are?" Tashigi asked, dumbfounded.  
"Jeez, girl!" Ruby's voice broke, echoing. "From what century were you born? My lord, I do not believe someone calls herself a warrior who can become so naïve and can't even keep an eye on her man!" He scolded, spitting down on her. "S-sorry." Tashigi shrunk. "I thought your kind were always cautious and always keeps up to date?" He rambled on. "Fine! Tomorrow, I'm gonna arrange a special training for you and I'm gonna be yow' _sensei_." He announced proudly. "Uhm, wut?" "Yeah, that's right, little girl, I studied the ancient teachings of the Bud-"

Ruby's voice slowly turned into only quiet yet sharp echoes across the trees as they both slowly disappeared among the bushes and entered back into the village. Ah, crap. I finally moved from my lizard position and my bones began to crack and my muscles ache. I heaved my body off the gnarled old branch and as soon as I extended my torso, gnarled bark wrinkles were stamped on my skin. "Damn." Well, I better disengage from the tree or else I'll become one with it and be attacked by a King Kong… or I mean a gorilla. I hoped off the branch and when my feet collided with the ground, my legs almost staggered, my feet marked the soil. Quickly, I looked back to see if they were coming back, but they didn't.

Well, that was a shock. I came to this area and on that branch to relax. I never thought I'd hear all those. It hurts, here in my chest. When I listened to that I felt like- like in this story I was the bad guy. I never thought she had all those kept in her head. And to think that she was… 'in love' with me for quite a long time now, but why? But maybe this was a good thing. That she opened up and let out everything that's been hurting her and keeping her what she is. _Tashigi_. And maybe that fate wanted me to hear that and that was another good thing...

Everyone has their weak spot. The one thing that despite your best efforts will always bring you to your knees regardless of how strong you are otherwise. For some people- for me, it's _love_...

* * *

**Coming up…**

After the incident during the mating ritual, between us, she stayed distant from me the way I did to her. After that day, it was as if nothing really happened at all. She was good at obeying orders. Tashigi kept being Tashigi.

Maybe she would be stronger if my presence never violates her. It seemed like my presence was a wall that blocked her from growing.

But even so, there really was nothing in here for me. No matter where I was going to be thrown into, my heart is always with my _nakama_.  
So the only option left for me, is to _leave_.


End file.
